


oh darling, don’t ever grow up

by falloncridley (myyellowumbrella47)



Category: Dynasty (TV 2017)
Genre: Charlotte Ridley, F/M, Olivia Ridley
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:25:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 53
Words: 270,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23030128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myyellowumbrella47/pseuds/falloncridley
Summary: A collection of one-shots about Fallon and Liam as parents.
Relationships: Fallon Carrington/Liam Ridley
Comments: 663
Kudos: 499





	1. Bedtime Story

**Author's Note:**

> Since a few people asked me about a possible Charlotte series, I decided to give it a shot. Every chapter will consist of an one-shot about their little family.

_“Right. But which is the best part of the story that you’ll be telling for decades?”_

The clock had just hit nine o’clock when Fallon finally walked through the front door. The house was dark and quiet so she could only guess Liam and Charlotte were already down for the night.

It had taken Fallon and Liam a while to find the perfect house for them to start their future in but as soon as they moved in, one of the first thing they agreed on was that they wouldn’t have an entire staff working for them. 

Of course, they had people to clean and organize, take care of the garden and even wash the cars but they always made sure everyone was on their way home by six.

Fallon had definitely taken a while to get used to not having whatever she wanted at the exact time she wanted but when she realized how good it felt to have the house just for them, she started to actually enjoy not having people around 24 hours a day.

Hanging her coat and handbag inside the small closet at the entrance hall, she settled her laptop under her arm and walked up the stairs. By the time Fallon reached the second floor, she noticed a dim and orange light coming from the master bedroom.

As she approached the large dark oak door, she heard the fire cracking in the fireplace while Liam’s soft voice filled the room. Her stilettos were killing her and she could definitely use a hot shower before crawling in bed with her husband but when she got close enough to understand exactly what he was saying, she decided against walking into the room.

“Can you believe she was practicing it with uncle Sam?” Liam used his surprise tone and that’s when she heard Charlotte’s giggles. “She  _literally_ got down on one knee and offered your  _uncle_ a ring!”

The door was on the back corner of the bedroom so even when Fallon opened it a little more and leaned against the threshold, none of them noticed her presence. Crossing her arms on her chest, she took a minute to simply watch them lying on the bed together.

Liam was leaning against the headboard while Charlotte snuggled on his chest. One of his arms was wrapped around her body, bringing her close to him while his other hand stroked her arm softly over her pajamas. Her chin was up and her bright blue eyes wouldn’t focus on anything but his own as Liam told her about one of the most incredible days of their lives.

“I knew I had to do something, you know. She had already proposed to me once, I couldn’t let her do it again, could I?” Liam continued as if he was reading her a real book. He used all kinds of intonations and even different voices.

“No, you couldn’t!” Charlotte exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air and almost hitting him in the face in the process.

They were lying under what Fallon could only guess were three layers of blankets even though the fire made the room perfectly warm. The smile already plastered on her lips only grew wider as Fallon continued to watch them, complete in awe and amazed by how cute they looked all cuddled up in the middle of the king sized bed.

“So I had to think fast!” Liam added a tone of suspense to the story and Fallon could only shake her head and chuckle when she saw the look of panic in Charlotte’s eyes. “I couldn’t just get down on one knee and ask her because, c’mon, it’s mommy we’re talking about,” he paused, “an ordinary proposal was  _not_ an option,”

“No, it’s not,” Charlotte shook her head. “What you do? What you do?” She bounced in excitement.

“I told her I had to go to London for a career opportunity,”

“A  _cawee_ what?” She tilted her head confused.

“A career opportunity, princess,” Liam laughed. Charlotte managed to be even more adorable when she traded the R’s for W’s, “meaning that something really good could happen for my writer job...”

“Oh okay,” Charlotte seemed satisfied with the answer so he continued.

“I told her I had to skip dinner because I knew she planned on proposing there and I had to avoid that at all costs,”

“Mommy got  _mad_!” Charlotte giggled.

“Yes, yes she did,” Liam laughed at how well she knew Fallon’s reactions. “You can’t even imagine how pissed off she was in the plane...”

“Why make mama mad?” She questioned.

“Because your mommy is the most stubborn person I know,” Liam replied, “even more than you,” he tapped on her nose with the tip of his finger and she instantly shot him a look of disapproval that was Fallon’s through and through, “and the only way she wouldn’t want to marry me was if I pissed her off so I had to play that card,”

“But you  _bwoke_ her heart...” Charlotte protested. She had always been very protective of Fallon, no matter the circumstance.

“No, princess,” Liam decided it was time to change the tone of the story. “I would never break mommy’s heart, okay? I just drove her a little crazy for a few hours because I knew she would be happy when we got to London...”

“Daddy  _did_ make me very mad,” Fallon finally stepped into the room, swaying her hips towards the bed, “but when I got to the hotel, he opened the door to the room and I couldn’t believe what was happening,” Fallon sat down on the velvet bench at the foot of the bed to remove her heels and Charlotte’s eyes widened at the suspense. Setting her laptop down, she turned towards them.

“What did you see?” Her eyes were shining when she sat up on the bed, not able to calm herself down and stay still as she needed the rest of the story. Liam and Fallon exchanged a greeting look that only lasted a couple of seconds but felt like an eternity to Charlotte as she crawled over the blankets until she was beside Fallon. She stood on her knees and took Fallon’s face in her hands, her small palms holding her mother’s cheeks. “What did you see, mommy?”

“Daddy had filled the entire room with red roses,” Fallon spoke and the three year old’s eyes sparkled. “There was not a single spot you looked that didn’t have roses in it... the couch, the tables, the floor... everywhere,” she picked Charlotte up in her arms and stood up, spinning around with her against her chest and the most adorable laugh came out of the little girl’s mouth. “I was so surprised and shocked and when I turned around daddy was kneeling down in the middle of all the roses with the most beautiful smile I had ever seen,”

Fallon walked around the bed and took a seat on her side of the bed, placing Charlotte back on the mattress.

“Hi,” she spoke softly as she leaned towards him for a quick peck on the lips. For a few seconds, they both forgot there was a three year old between them and got carried away as they deepened the kiss.

“Ohh...” Charlotte placed one hand on Fallon’s neck and the other on Liam’s. “I’m still here,” she furrowed her eyebrows.

“Sorry, baby,” Fallon laughed. “Come here,”

Scooting next to Liam, she lifted Charlotte’s body off the bed before settling her small body between her legs. Fallon leaned her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around Charlotte while Liam covered the three of them with the blankets. Liam moved his arm over Fallon’s shoulder and messed Charlotte’s hair playfully.

“Daddy _pwopose_?” Charlotte looked between them. As excited as she was for the end of the story, Charlotte was getting sleepy by the minute and they could both see her eyes starting to close although she was trying her best to stay awake.

“I did,” Liam told their daughter. “I asked mommy to run away with me,”

“And did you?” She turned her head towards Fallon.

“We didn’t  _exactly_ run away but I did say yes,” Fallon laughed.

“I like that,” Charlotte turned on her side, placing both hands between her head and Fallon’s chest as a long yawn escaped her lips.

“It was probably the best day of our lives until you came along, princess,” Liam replied. “Let me take her, Fal,” he whispered, “at least so you can get changed... that suit of yours doesn’t seem very comfortable for sleeping,”

Fallon nodded, raising her arms off Charlotte so Liam could gently pull the little girl towards him. He rested his head on his elbow and adjusted the sleeping girl on a small pillow between his and Fallon’s before covering her properly with the blanket. Liam brushed the hair off her face delicately, caressing her pink cheeks with his fingers while he watched her sleep.

Fallon returned from the bathroom about twenty minutes later, fresh out of shower in her silk pajamas, her face cleaned of all the make up and her hair split in two pigtails. She crawled under the blankets as slow as possible not to wake Charlotte up and scooted closer to them as soon as she was lying down and couldn’t help but laugh at how Charlotte had managed to snuggle closer to Liam until her body was completely glued to his. There was a time where  she would be the one cuddling him, resting her head on his warm muscled chest while he twisted her long brown strands around his fingers.

“This reminds me of the pillow wall we built at your mother’s house,” Fallon whispered, settling one hand protectively over Charlotte’s body. “I wanted to move closer to you and kiss you so bad,” she laughed.

“This wall is a lot cuter,” he smiled, “it makes being too far to kiss you worth it, I suppose,”

Liam covered Fallon’s hand with his and they both turned their attention to the three year old between them. 

It had never been so easy to put her down to sleep like that night. Her mouth was slightly open and one of her hands was burried between her head and Liam’s chest while the other gripped onto his t-shirt tightly.

“I still don’t understand how she sleeps at the  _exact_ same way you do,” Liam turned towards Fallon, “she even grabs my shirt too for some reason,” he chuckled.

“That’s because that’s the  _best_ way to sleep,” Fallon shrugged, adjusting her head on the pillow while trying to find a comfortable position, “and she  _knows_ that,”

“Are you jealous of your own daughter, Fallon?” Liam couldn’t help but laugh.

“ _No_ ,” Fallon shook her head but he could read her better than anyone, “I’m just saying that’s a nice way to sleep. It’s not like it’s the  _only_ one,” she rolled her eyes annoyed.

“So if I were to offer you the other side of my body so you can have a great night of sleep...” he teased, “you’re saying you wouldn’t need it?”

“I mean,” Fallon rambled.

“Just come, Fal,” Liam laughed, opening the arm that was not around Charlotte to welcome her. 

Fallon jumped out of the bed and walked around it, lying into his arms and finally nestling her head where it belonged, on his chest with his hand playing with her hair. When they were both perfectly snuggled against him, Liam leaned to the left to place a kiss on the top of Charlotte’s head then did the same thing for Fallon before closing his eyes and finally drifting off with both of his girls in his arms. 


	2. Like Mother, Like Daughter

“Mrs. Ridley, should I prepare anything specific for breakfast?” Carol, their cook, asked while entering the living room.

Fallon was sitting on the couch, her feet on the coffee table in front of her and her laptop on her lap as she nursed what was probably her third or fourth mug of coffee - she couldn’t even be sure anymore, having woken up at 4AM to work on some proposals she had to send out before noon.

Liam was in Chicago for the week, meeting with fellow writers and potential publishers and Fallon was doing her best to work during Charlotte sleeping hours so she could spend as much time as she could with her daughter during the day. It was only seven o’clock so Fallon still had a few hours before the four year old woke up.

“The usual is fine, Carol,” Fallon replied, “but maybe add some chocolate chips and m&m’s into the pancake batter for Charlotte,” she added. “It is  _Sunday_ , after all,”

“Will do,” Carol nodded, “Is nine okay?” Fallon offered her a thumbs up while taking another sip of the black coffee. “Perfect,” she said before excusing herself back to the kitchen.

“Are you kidding me?” Fallon bawled out when her laptop shut off out of sudden. She had been working on one of the proposals for almost an hour when the screen turned to black. “Fuck!” She set the mug on the coffee table and started hitting the keys harder than she actually should but the laptop just wouldn’t turn back on.

“Fuck,” Fallon jumped off the couch when she heard the soft and sleepy voice behind her. Her laptop fell on the floor and she ended up kicking the mug off the table when putting her legs down, spilling the coffee all over the silver laptop.

“Shit!” Fallon groaned at the laptop but covered her mouth with her hand when her eyes landed on the little girl at the bottom of the stairs.

_ “Shiiit_ _,”_ Charlotte was going through the phase where she repeated every single word her parents spoke and at that moment, Fallon wondered how she had managed to screw up so big before the day even started.

“No, no, no,” Fallon shook her head in desperation. Looking between Charlotte and her most likely dead laptop, she pondered which problem to take care of first. “Those are really bad words, baby,” she walked around the couch, heading towards Charlotte.

The four year old stood on the last step of the stairs in her cupcake pajamas and Scooby-doo slippers, carrying her stuffed giraffe in one hand while the other dragged her favorite blanket. Daisy, her overprotective french bulldog, was right behind her and started jumping on Fallon’s legs when she picked her daughter up. Charlotte’s eyes were still a bit red from sleep and her hair was a mess, the light brown strands pointing in every direction.

“You should never say those words, Charlie,” Fallon settled her against the right side of her body, leaning in to give her a good morning kiss.

“You said it,” Charlotte shrugged.

“Mommy didn’t mean that,” Fallon had absolutely no idea of what to say, her heart racing more an more by the second as her daughter stared at her. “A pretty girl like you shouldn’t say those words, princess,”

Making her way back to the large couch, Fallon returned to her seat right in the middle and sat Charlotte down on her legs before pulling her towards her chest. She ran her hand through the girl’s long strands while looking into one of her favorite pair or blue eyes.

“You’re pretty and you said it,” Charlotte leaned her head to the side, throwing Fallon a questioning look.

“That’s  _no_ excuse, Charlotte,” Fallon’s tone was serious. “I shouldn’t have said it and you shouldn’t say that either,”

“Why not?” She insisted.

Fallon took a deep breath, trying to come up with an explanation suitable for a four year old child. At times like that, she wished Liam wasn’t 700 miles away because he would know exactly what to tell her.

_You’re her mother, Fallon. You don’t need Liam. You need to set the example and teach her what’s right and wrong without having to run to him._ Fallon told herself.  _You’ve done it a thousand times already. There’s nothing to be afraid of._

“Because it’s a really bad word, Charlotte,” Fallon replied. It was probably the worst excuse she could have chosen because she knew Charlotte would  not be satisfied with it but it would at least buy her some time to think of something better.

“Then  _why_ did you say it?” Charlotte stared at her. “Daddy won’t be happy, you know,” she shook her head.

“That’s why we’re  _not_ telling daddy about it,” Fallon began to sweat at Charlotte’s snarky comebacks. She really thought she had at least a couple more years before her daughter’s sassy side decided to take whatever she and Liam told her over the years and use it against them.

“You’re gonna  _lie_ to daddy?” Charlotte’s eyes widened and her jaw fell.

“No!” Fallon took her hand to her face, rubbing soft circles on her temple in an attempt to relieve some of the pressure and stress.

Sometimes she forgot how much of her DNA Charlotte had inherited. It made her wonder how Liam was capable of being so patient and calm towards her every time her spoiled and sassy self came to action. Fallon definitely wasn’t easy to deal with and Charlotte was proving to be quite as stubborn as her through the years. Although not as a  _bad_ quality, as Charlotte understood things Fallon had never really understood at her age considering her parents never tried to set good examples for her, something she and Liam were pretty adamant about when it came to their daughter. 

Charlotte was curious and wanted to know about everything, no matter the subject, the situation or even the time. Sometimes she would ask them the most random questions while lying in bed with them and sometimes she would even ask to go to work in Fallon so, in her own words, _“_ _ she could practice” .  _

She was very determined when she wanted something and even at four year old, she would dedicate as much as she could to get it. While that was considered one hell of a quality by both Liam and Fallon, one her mother had  _a lot of_ _,_ that was probably the trickiest one to shape. So far, they had been able to make sure she was the best version of Fallon. However, Liam had only been gone for three days and Fallon being  _Fallon_ had probably just taught her daughter how to curse.

“Oh God,” Fallon mumbled. “Okay,” she finally faced her daughter before continuing, “we’re not  _lying_ to daddy. We’re just not  _telling_ him this happened because you and me are gonna settle this right now,”

“That looks  _a lot_ like lying,” Charlotte rolled her eyes.

“Why do you have to be so much like me?” Fallon murmured low enough for her not understand. “I’m not good at dealing with myself,”

“What?” She looked at her mother confused.

“Nothing, baby,” Fallon shook her head. “What I’m  _trying_ to say here is that you can’t say a bad word because it’s not polite. Mommy made a mistake by saying it,” she explained.

“Then you need a time out,” Charlotte reasoned.

“I will let you have all of the bacon, okay?” Fallon suggested. “Is that a good punishment for mommy?”

“Seems fair,” Charlotte agreed, running her fingers over her giraffe’s long neck.

“Look at me, Charlotte,” Fallon requested and the little girl looked up from her stuffed animal. “Sometimes we get angry or upset at something and we say things we don’t mean,” she traced Charlotte’s pink cheek with her thumb, “but that doesn’t mean we can say words like those ones. People can get a bad impression of you and sometimes you can even hurt people by saying that,”

“I’m sorry, mommy,” Charlotte wrapped her arms around Fallon’s neck, holding her giraffe against her mother’s face as she hugged her tightly. Fallon scrunched her nose, trying to get away from the stuffed animal while groaning playfully as if Charlotte was squeezing her way too hard.

“Do you understand now why you can’t say that, baby?” Charlotte nodded in response. “And do you understand why mommy is being punished with no bacon for breakfast?”

“Because what you said is wrong,” she replied.

“You’re learning new words everyday and it’s okay to repeat what we say once in a while but those are words you should  _never_ say, alright?”

“Alright, mommy,” Charlotte nodded.

“Good,” Fallon offered her a smile, “now,” she paused before throwing Charlotte on the couch and leaning over her small body as she tickled her, her hands roaming over her body rapidly, “what are you doing up, little Miss Ridley?” Charlotte’s loud laugh echoed through the large living room and no matter how much she squirmed, Fallon only kept tickling her and covering her with kisses.

“Stop, mommy,” she giggled, somewhat out of air from all the laughing, “stop!” she begged.

Daisy jumped on the couch and placed her front paws over Fallon’s back, barking loudly in an attempt to get her to let go of Charlotte.

“If you’re stealing my bacon then I have the right to play with my baby,” Fallon shrugged, squeezing her waist only to get another laugh out of her.

“Mommy!” Charlotte exclaimed and Daisy continued to bark.

“What can I say? That adorable laugh is my favorite sound in the whole world,” Fallon teased before kissing her neck and making funny noises against her skin playfully. “I will give you a break though because her barks are not really that nice,” she added, “but only if you give me a proper good morning kiss,”

“Morning, mama,” Charlotte leaned forward to give Fallon a quick peck on the lips.

“Why did you wake up so early, baby?” Fallon reached for Charlotte’s blanket and covered her with the fleece piece as the four year old snuggled against the cushion with her giraffe.

“I wanted you...” Charlotte murmured and a yawn escaped her lips, “but you weren’t in your room,”

“Carol is serving breakfast at nine so you still have some time if you want to go back to sleep,” Fallon suggested.

“With you...” Charlotte rubbed one fist against her eyes.

“Let me just clean this mess up,” Fallon stood up from the couch and grabbed the laptop and the mug from the floor.

Heading into the kitchen, she returned with a few cloths so they wouldn’t step on a pool of coffee and made a mental note to ask Paula, their housekeeper, to remove the wide shag rug from the living room to get it cleaned.

“How do you feel about a shopping spree, princess?” Fallon asked while lying down between Charlotte and the back cushion of the couch. She sighed when Daisy jumped between them and rested her head on Charlotte’s belly but didn’t really mind the dog between them. “I’m gonna have to stop by the mall to get a new laptop at Apple,” she softly pushed the strands of hair that were falling on her face behind her ear as Charlotte snuggled closer to her.

“Can I get an iPhone?” Charlotte murmured against Fallon’s chest.

“No, not for another five years at least,” Fallon rolled her eyes, laughing at Charlotte’s question.

“How long is that?” She wondered.

“How old are you?” Fallon countered and Charlotte held up one hand and showed Fallon four fingers, keeping her thumb down. “Now use your other hand and show me all those fingers,” she requested and Charlotte raised her other hand, fingers wide open. “Add that to your age and we can talk about getting you an iPhone,”

“I don’t even have a whole hand yet,” Charlotte glanced between her hands before turning back to Fallon. She was too young to understand the math concept yet but what she did know was that getting another hand with all of her fingers up seemed impossible.

“You will in a few months,” Fallon tried to show her some optimism.

“Then I need to fill my  _other_ hand too?” Charlotte asked intrigued but Fallon just nodded. “That’s too  _looong_ , mommy,” she groaned in complaint.

“You have plenty of toys, books, a  dog and an entire playground outside just for you, Charlotte,” Fallon said seriously. “You don’t need a phone,” 

Throwing one arm over her daughter’s body, Fallon leaned in and placed a long kiss on the top of her head. When she rested her head on Charlotte’s, Fallon knew she wouldn’t send those proposals by the noon deadline but she couldn’t care less. She wasn’t going to trade snuggling her daughter for anything work related.

“If I get my piggy bank then can I buy one?” Charlotte murmured, practically half-asleep.

“You’re gonna need a hundred of those, baby,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh. 

“How can you be so rich and I only have a piggy bank?” Charlotte looked into her eyes.

“You’re only four, Charlotte,” Fallon replied, playing with her daughter’s hair hoping she would fall asleep instead of asking so many questions. “Get some sleep, baby,” she whispered softly against her forehead.

“Are we gonna call daddy?” Charlotte asked.

“In a couple of hours,” she replied, “he doesn’t leave the hotel until ten so we will have plenty of time to talk to him,”

“Okay,” she murmured.

Charlotte held her giraffe tightly into one of her arms while the other laid gently over Fallon, her small hands drawing patterns over her mother’s waist. Hugging Charlotte as close as possible to her, Fallon finally closed her eyes and let herself drift off as she listened to her daughter’s calm breathing and soft snores.


	3. Carrington Blood In Her Veins

“Can I have a pony?” Charlotte set her crayon down and looked up at Liam. She was sitting on one of the stools at the kitchen counter while he cooked dinner.

“No,” Liam opened the fridge to reach for the butter.

“Why not?” She questioned.

“Because they require a lot of work and they need a special home with lots of space for it to play and exercise,” Liam explained, hoping that would be enough.

"He could live at grandpa's," Charlotte sighed. "The Manor has a lot of space and mommy's horse already lives there,"

"You don't let Daisy sleep in any room but yours, Charlotte," Liam reminded her. "I'm not sure you're going to enjoy getting a new animal only to see it on Sunday's when we go to the Manor for lunch,"

Charlotte stared at him for a couple of minutes, trying to decide whether she liked that answer or not. As Liam turned around, focusing on the tomato sauce in front of him, she let out a soft breath and shrugged. Reaching for another crayon she returned to her drawing and went back to singing her favorite Frozen song.

Liam stirred the sauce before throwing the spaghetti into the pasta pot. He glanced at the seven year old girl and couldn't help but giggle, shaking his head slightly as he watched her draw. Charlotte wasn't doing anything important but she still bit her bottom lip and hummed just like Fallon used to do when she was typing up a deal or an important e-mail.

"What about another dog?" She asked after a few minutes.

"When was the last time you took Daisy for a walk?" Liam countered while pulling the filet mignon out of the oven.

"You don’t let me get out of the house without an adult," she shrugged.

"Last night I asked you to come along and you said you had important business to take care of," Liam drained the pasta then put the fresh spaghetti in a large glass platter before spilling the tomato sauce over it and mixing it together.

“Yeah,” Charlotte jumped off the stool while Liam carried the platter to the dining table, “mom was teaching me how to sell stocks,”

“ _Sell_ stocks?” He dropped the platter a little harder than he should have but thankfully nothing happened. “When did you even _buy_ stocks?”

“Last week,” she rolled her eyes as she headed for the sink to watch her hands. “Mom said I can double my money if I invest wisely,”

“I am _so_ confused,” Liam whispered, running his hand through his hair.

“She said she can make the money work for us and she was showing me her tricks of how to get thousands overnight,” Charlotte walked past him then climbed on her usual seat.

“Charlotte Grace Ridley!” The little girl almost fell backwards and off the chair when her mother’s loud voice echoed in the kitchen.

“Geez, mom, you scared me,” Charlotte held the table with one hand and the back of the chair with the other.

“That was our little secret, young lady!” Fallon murmured while settling the one year old in the highchair. Grabbing the silicone bib Liam had already taken to table, Fallon wrapped the purple item around her daughter's neck.

“I made my peace with you trading overnight once in a while instead of going to sleep but she’s seven, Fallon!” Liam complained, adding a small portion of pasta to the plastic pink bowl.

“Sorry,” Charlotte looked at Fallon apologetically.

“She had a nightmare one night and I was getting some water when I found her getting out of her bedroom,” Fallon started, taking the bowl from him and placing it in front of Olivia. “I took her and we went back to my office but I was trading and she caught a few glimpses of it before going back to sleep,” she explained. “Then in the next morning she asked me what I was doing and I showed it to her...”

“It’s actually very nice,” Charlotte leaned over the table to get some potatoes. “I was going to spend my hard earned money on a shoe!” She looked at him with wide eyes before reaching for the other spoon to get the meat. “So mommy told me that if I didn’t buy the shoe and bought _stocks_ instead, in some time I could possibly buy a shoe _and_ a dress,” she bit her tongue as she carefully took the piece of fliet mignon to her plate.

"Easy, pumpkin," Fallon managed to gently grab her tiny wrist before she could take a fistful of pasta to her mouth. Olivia's face was already covered in tomato sauce but she didn't seem to mind, only caring about eating the food in front of her.

“Getting an allowance every first day of the month is not really a hard earned money, Charlotte,” Liam brought his hand to his forehead. A terrible headache was just starting and he didn’t even know what to say anymore. Not to Charlotte and not even to Fallon. He was probably dreaming and would wake up at any moment.

“I eat all of my vegetables, I get straight A’s, I speak three languages and I win every tennis match at the club,” Charlotte reached for her fork and knife then looked between her parents before finally digging into her dinner. “I believe I _did_ earn that money, daddy,”

Liam and Fallon couldn’t even move after listening to her last sentence. Liam was still trying to understand what the hell was happening in there and Fallon was fighting hard not to laugh.

“And I believe you’re spending _way_ too much time with your mom,” Liam commented.

“Well, she _is_ my mom,” Charlotte shrugged.

“Charlie...” Fallon threw her a serious and disapproving look. The seven year old turned her head towards her mom and knew all to well what such look meant.

“Mommy is just teaching me a few tricks, daddy,” Charlotte spoke softly. “She didn’t let me stay awake past midnight last night even though I had already won ten dollars,” she told him.

“This isn't a game, Charlotte, it's real life and it's serious,” Liam looked at her with concern. “Your mom is a grown up and she knows exactly what happens when you enter the stock market. It’s crazy and it’s agressive...” He explained. “It brings you a lot of stress because yes, you can double your money, but you can also lose everything in a matter of seconds,” he added. “It’s okay if you want to learn about it because your mom is inexplicably good at it but if she says no, then it’s no,”

“I told her it’s an once a month thing,” Fallon turned her attention to her husband. “That’s why she didn’t want to do anything else last night,” she told him. “There was a lot going on with this political mess, the asian markets were on fire and then the price of oil spiked... the stocks were oscilating fast and I took the opportunity to explain to her what happens in the market when the president gives a speech or the price of something as essential as oil change,”

“She did quiz me on fractions though,” Charlotte told Liam. “I still don’t really know what they are but they seem important for some reason,” she said while eating the last piece of meat on her plate.

“They don’t teach that kind of stuff at school, Liam,” Fallon stared at him. “She’s gonna inherit billions of dollars someday...”

“And apparently, that’s a _lot_ ,” Charlotte added.

“It is,” Liam nodded, “but you don’t have to become an expert at stocks at seven,” he rolled his eyes, glancing at Olivia for a moment. While his eldest tried to explain why she wanted to learn about the stock market, his youngest's biggest interest was smashing pasta all over her face.

“Well, maybe I can take some time off...” Charlotte yawned, placing her cuttlery carefully on the empty plate. “Last night _was_ pretty insane, after all,” she stood up from her seat before climbing up on Fallon’s legs to rest against her chest. “Mommy did make a few thousands last night though so maybe she can buy me that pony?” She turned her head towards Liam while running her fingers softly up and down her mother's arms.


	4. Home Sweet Home

“Careful,” Liam held his left hand behind Fallon’s lower back as she walked up the few steps towards the front door.

He was carrying two suitcases in that hand so he couldn’t exactly touch Fallon but he still felt the need to protect her on the few steps they need to go up to get to their house. She could stumble, slip or even misstep while holding their precious little girl.

“If I walk any slower I won’t get inside that house tonight, Liam,” Fallon groaned.

“I’m just trying to help, Fallon,” Liam spoke softly, knowing how hard the lack of sleep was on her.

“I know, I’m sorry,” Fallon whispered, waiting by the door for him to unlock it.

Fallon’s arms were wrapped tightly around the newborn girl, holding her to her chest under the warm blanket Liam had placed over her so they could walk from the car to the house.

“Do you know where the keys are?” Liam asked her.

“Last time I was here I was screaming in pain while your daughter tried to push herself out of my body,” Fallon paced around the small balcony, bouncing the baby softly in her arms so she wouldn’t wake up. “How am _I_ supposed to know where you put the keys?”

“Oh God,” Liam placed the two Gucci bags down on the floor, trying to balance the baby carrier on his right elbow and the baby bag on his right shoulder as he searched his pockets for the set of keys.

“Come on, Liam,” Fallon murmured. “It’s freaking cold,”

“Okay, got it,” Liam exclaimed, fishing out the much needed key from Fallon’s handbag. “Welcome home, Charlotte,” he turned the knob and pushed the large door open.

“You’re going to have the _happiest_ life, baby,” Fallon spoke softly, walking towards the living room, “mommy and daddy will make sure of that.”

* * *

“It’s okay, baby girl,” Liam spoke softly as he picked her out of the crib, “daddy’s right here...” he held her against his chest, bouncing her gently while walking around the room.

“What’s wrong, princess?” Liam asked when she wouldn’t stop crying. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” he had already changed her into a fresh and clean diaper and she wasn’t supposed to eat in another half an hour.

Charlotte stretched out, extending her tiny arms and tiny legs as she stirred in his arms, clearly very uncomfortable at something he had no clue about.

“Don’t cry, baby, please,” Liam begged. As her father, he ought to know how to calm her down but he couldn’t help but feel completely helpless at that moment. “Daddy’s really trying to make it all better but I don’t know what you want...” he sighed, frustrated. It was only day two and he was already feeling like a failure.

Fallon had only fallen asleep an hour back so Liam was trying his best to take care of their little girl so he wouldn’t need to wake her but as her crying intensified and sounded more painful and sharp, it hit him that maybe he wasn’t really the one she wanted.

“It’s four in the morning so we have to be very careful when waking mommy up, okay?” Liam explained as he walked through the hallway towards the master bedroom. “She’s completely in love with you and you’re already bonded for life so daddy will have to deal with a very cranky mommy if we wake her up abruptly,” he told her, “so let’s do this gently, okay princess?” He ran his fingers softly down her face, moving his thumb slowly across her cheek to bring her some comfort.

Fallon was exhausted so he wasn’t surprised when he walked into the room with their crying daughter and she barely moved. His heart broke at the few tears that were escaping her eyes. Sitting down on the bed, he tightened the hold on Charlotte while taking his other arm to Fallon.

“Fal,” Liam murmured, “wake up, Fallon,” he insisted.

“Mhmm,” she groaned, “what?” She asked harshly.

“I tried not to wake you up but Charlotte wants something I don’t really have,” Liam told her in a playful manner but she barely understood what he meant in her half asleep state.

“I’m sure you can work something out, Liam,” Fallon whined, pulling her blanket closer to her body.

“Well, unless you give me your breasts, there’s not much I can do, Fal,” Liam closed his eyes when Charlotte screamed louder. “Come on, babe, I’m right here to help you but she really wants you,” he ran his hand through her hair, twisting his fingers softly around the brown strands.

“I’m _so_ tired,” Fallon murmured while sitting up on the bed.

“I know, babe, I know,” Liam adjusted Charlotte in her arms and couldn’t help but laugh when the two days old baby turned her head towards Fallon and opened her mouth while her hand hit her chest softly, trying to get to what she wanted.

Liam kneeled towards Fallon and settled between her and the bed’s headboard. He watched in awe as Fallon pulled one strap of her nightgown down and Charlotte quickly latched on her nipple, sucking on it with so much determination that her crying instantly stopped. Wrapping his arms around her stomach, Liam settled one of his forearms above the other so he could help Fallon keep Charlotte still. Leaning back, Fallon rested her body on his chest and laid her head on his shoulder, allowing herself to close her eyes as they listened to the soft sounds of Charlotte sucking hungrily on her nipple.

“Go back to sleep,” Liam whispered in her ear. He noticed Fallon’s nipple was just about to pop out of Charlotte’s mouth so he reached for her boob and adjusted it towards her so she could latch on it better. “I can hold her and I will take her when she’s done,”

“It’s okay,” Fallon murmured, placing her hand over the one Liam was keeping on Charlotte’s back. “I love this feeling,” she smiled while watching her daughter in awe. She was still adjusting to her surroundings so she kept her eyes closed most of the time but at that moment, her light blue eyes were staring brightly at Fallon’s. “She is so calm and she looks at me like I’m her entire world,” she reached for Charlotte’s tiny hand and the newborn quickly wrapped her fingers around Fallon’s index.

“You _are_ her entire world, Fal,” Liam placed a kiss on her shoulder. “How does it feel?”

“The first couple of times actually hurt a bit because our daughter is one hungry and eager little girl but now it just feels amazing,” Fallon told him. “It tingles sometimes but I think they are so full that I feel a relaxed sensation when she’s eating. They feel lighter, somehow,” she described, “but watching her like this, so calm and peaceful is what makes it all worth it,”

“I don’t think I will ever be able to describe what I’m feeling right now,” Liam spoke softly, “holding you both in my arms in the middle of this quiet night... I keep staring at her and wondering how on Earth we managed to make something so precious and perfect,”

“It really is amazing,” Fallon smiled. “I’m just wondering how we’re supposed to do this on our own,”

“What do you mean?” Liam threw her a questioning look. “Who else did you think was going to take care of her once she was born?”

“We were both raised by nannies, Liam,” she started, “and when I said I didn’t want to hire one I _meant_ it. I don’t want us to have one unless we decide it’s _totally_ necessary but I’m still trying to figure out how we’re going to do this ourselves and still manage to survive,” she admitted. “It’s been two days and I feel like my body is going to colapse at any minute, I don’t remember the last time I showered and I really wish I could sleep for more than one hour,”

“I think that’s expected when you’ve just had a newborn,” Liam ran his fingers softly through her hair, settling his hand behind her neck to give her a relaxing massage. “I feel like I was hit by a truck but you’re the one who gave birth two days ago so I can only imagine you’re ten times worse than I am,” he told her.

“I’m so scared of letting her down,” Fallon admitted. “What if I can’t do it? What if I screw this up? What if I screw _her_ up?” She rambled.

“Fallon, you’re not going to let her down,” her words felt like a dagger to his heart. “We have each other and we’re gonna make sure Charlotte has the best life she could ever have, right?” Fallon replied with a timid nod. “We may not know everything but we’re going to learn with her. You said yourself that we already know what not to do from our mothers,” he offered her a smile. “Just the fact that you’re so worried about her shows how much you care about her, Fal,”

“She’s so tiny and fragile...” Fallon ran her fingers delicately through the few brown hair on her head. Charlotte’s eyes were already starting to close and Fallon could already feel her lips softening around her nipple.

“And we’ll be here to give her everything she needs,” Liam smiled, “even if that means giving up on sleeping hours and some showers,” he laughed. “Who would have thought something so small could make you give up alcohol and insane work hours?”

“I just glance at her and suddenly it’s all worth it,” Fallon admitted.

“If I knew this would get you off the bottle I would have agreed to this whole parenthood thing sooner,” Liam shrugged.

“Ha ha very funny,” Fallon mocked him. “You’re the one who has to put up with a very sober and out of work Fallon so I’m not really sure that’s a good thing,” she rolled her eyes, adjusting her nightgown back to place before lying Charlotte’s body upwards against her chest once she was done nursing.

“Like you said it,” Liam stood up from the bed, “it’s all worth it when you look at her,” he extended his arms, offering to take her, “but try to get some sleep now, Fal. I will burp her and make sure she goes back to sleep,” leaning forward, he placed a kiss on her forehead before covering her with the blanket as she finally drifted off.

They both knew that peace and quiteness would only last for about two hours but they wouldn’t trade that family life for anything in the world.


	5. Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend

“What is this?” 

Fallon’s eyes sparkled and her jaw fell on the floor when she stepped into the living room that night. She still had her coat on and not only was she carrying her handbag and laptop but also a box filled with files and drafts for the new issue of Fallon Unlimited.

There was not a single light on in the house but the room was still perfectly lit by the fireplace and dozens of candles scattered over the furniture around the room. The coffee table had been moved to one of the corners of the room and the rug that lied between the couches was covered with lots of blankets.

“Happy Anniversary, babe,” Liam offered her a smile from across the room.

Charlotte was sitting in the middle of all the blankets, playing with some of the stuffed animals Liam had brought down from her bedroom until she noticed her mother’s presence. Standing up, she stepped on the layers and layers of blankets and tried to get to her mother as fast as she could. She ended up falling on her knees a few steps later since the blankets didn’t really provide her a steady surface but Fallon could only smile at her daughter’s attempt and excitement.

“Mama,” Charlotte put both palms down and pushed herself back up before looking up at Fallon and raising her arms towards her.

“I could have gotten us a reservation at one of those fancy restaurants you love or I could have cooked a special meal for you tonight,” Liam started, “but I decided to do something different this year. We didn’t do anything last year because she was only three months old so I wanted tonight to mean something special,” he told her.

“You dressed her up for me?” Fallon could feel the tears pooling in her eyes when she picked Charlotte up in her arms and looked at Liam, only to meet his also teary eyes.

Charlotte was wearing a white long sleeved onesie, fuchsia pajamas’ pants and matching pink socks but what really caught Fallon’s attention were the words on her chest. She shook her head slightly, laughing as she read the rose gold cursive letters: _“Mommy thinks she’s in charge but I’m the real boss”,_ where the last word was not only in a different tone of rose but in bold and bigger than the others.

“Mama day,” Charlotte wrapped her tiny arms around Fallon’s neck, resting her head against her mother’s as Fallon held her to her chest.

“It’s mommy and daddy’s day, princess,” Fallon told her.

“The pizza should be ready in fifteen minutes, I got wine and your favorite ice cream,” Liam spoke as he finally walked around the cozy space he had set up so he could approach them.

“This is new,” Fallon ran her thumb over Charlotte’s ear, tracing the tiny diamond shaped like a heart that she had never seen before.

“It’s a set,” Liam pulled a black velvet box from the pocket of his hoodie and opened it while turning it towards Fallon.

“Oh my God,” Fallon gasped at the sight of the matching earrings inside the box. They were twice the size of the ones Charlotte was wearing since they were designed for an adult but they looked exactly the same. A heart shaped diamond on a small white gold earring. “Liam,” her eyes met his and she still didn’t know what to say.

“This little one is the best thing that has ever come out of this marriage, Fal,” Liam placed one hand on Charlotte’s back, taking a step closer to them. “She turned our world upside down and she definitely changed my idea of the perfect future. We were happy together but ever since she was born, it’s like something changed. I’m glad something went wrong with your pill that month because it gave us the most precious gift of all,” sliding his arm around Fallon’s back, he pulled both of them towards him before crashing his lips on Fallon’s.

“I never thought I would love so much the idea of spending our anniversary in our PJ’s with pizza and ice cream,” Fallon laughed, adjusting Charlotte on her hips so she wouldn’t fall off her arms, “and thank you for the earrings... they’re beautiful,” she offered him a smile. “I’m pretty sure I know diamonds and jewelry well enough to know you didn’t buy these in any store, Liam. This means so much to me, so thank you, thank you so much for this,” Fallon threw her free arm around his waist and pulled him in for a hug, resting her head on his shoulder while Charlotte rested hers on her.

“I didn’t,” Liam admitted. “They’re unique and made specially for you two,” he took a deep breath while running his hand up and down Charlotte’s back. Fallon was curious to why he seemed so nervous and off his game until he continued. “I bought diamonds on the day she was born, Fallon. Different carats, different shapes...” her hand left his body only to cover her mouth as her jaw fell to the floor. She definitely wasn’t expecting anything like that, ever. 

“The necklace I gave you on the day we brought her home? The tiny diamond on the little girl’s heart is one of them,” Liam told her. “Just like the one on the bracelet I got Charlotte for her first birthday,”

“They’re all related?” Liam had managed to surprise her quite a few times during all of the years they had been together but that night had probably topped them all. “Liam, how did you even  _think_ of something like this?” She asked. “And why didn’t you say anything?” She added. “This is straight out of a book, Liam! I don’t even know what to say...”

“Well, I  _am_ a writer,” he teased. “I wanted to build something remarkable for our family, Fal. Jewelry lasts forever and they mean more and more as it passes from one generation to another,” he explained. “We don’t really have happy memories or traditions from our families so I decided to start our own,”

“What about the others?” Fallon asked. “The other diamonds? Where are they?”

“Hidden and safe,” Liam replied shortly. “This is a lifetime collection, Fallon. They only turn into jewelry at special moments and my job here is to surprise you two throughout the years with them,” he smiled before leaning in to place a kiss on the top of Charlotte’s head.

“As curious as I am to what the other diamonds will turn out to be, this idea is actually very interesting, babe,” Fallon pulled him in for a quick kiss. “I love it,” the one year old was too busy bitting on her stuffed animal’s ear to notice and complain about her parents kissing right above her so it didn’t take long for them to deepen the kiss.

“You will get them when you’re least expecting it, Fal,” Liam murmured against her lips.

“Or maybe I won’t get to see any of them at all because I  _might_ have forgotten your gift...” Fallon frowned, speaking slowly and in a low voice as she felt like an idiot for being so focused and busy on work that she had simply forgotten they were supposed to exchange gifts.

“It’s okay, Fal,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh. “I don’t really need anything,”

“No, I don’t accept that. I will think of something nice, I promise!” Fallon exclaimed. “I mean, it won’t be as creative and perfect like a diamonds’ family heirloom but I’m sure I can come up with something,” she told him. “Are you  _sure_ there isn’t anything you want at the moment?” She asked, maybe it was worth the shot.

“You could give me another one of these...” Liam teased while running one hand through Charlotte’s hair.

“I know I should have thought of a present at least a couple of days back but  _this_ kind of present takes a lot of practice and work, it costs a lot of money and it takes about nine months to be ready,” Fallon shrugged. “You should have warned me about that wish of yours around June or July, perhaps?” She tilted her head to the side and stared at him.

“Oh my god, I was kidding!” Liam’s eyes widened in surprise. “But are you saying you would  _actually_ consider it?” He asked.

“I don’t think we’re ready for a second baby just  yet ,” Fallon shrugged, “but I would be open to talk about the possibility if you wanted another one so bad,” she spoke softly, “specially considering everything we went through when we found out about this little one here,” she glanced down at the one year old between them. “We might wanna do things right the next time,”

“I agree,” Liam let out a soft laugh, “but maybe we should let this troublemaker here grow up a little more?” He moved one hand to her belly and tickled her, eliciting a loud laugh from the baby girl.

“Sounds like a plan,” Fallon smiled and for the next few minutes, all she could do was keep her hold on Charlotte as Liam tickled her more and more, driving her crazy but filling the room with the most adorable laugh they had ever heard.


	6. Ridley vs Van Kirk

_*ding dong*_

Charlotte was making her way down the stairs when she heard the doorbell ring. Her silver glitter backpack was almost her size, hitting her back at every step she took with her hand gripping tightly on the handrail and Daisy right behind her.

_*ding dong*_

Arriving at the bottom of the stairs, Charlotte threw her backpack on the floor stairs and looked around the room but no one in that house seemed to be hearing the loud sound coming from the front door. Sam was supposed to pick her up ten minutes back and she was already running late for her tennis practice. She couldn’t handle the staff laziness at that moment. She had to get going.

“Isn’t anyone going to get that?” Charlotte screamed but heard no answer. “When I’m trying to watch my cooking show _everyone_ wants to be noticed but when the doorbell rings everyone just _disappears_ ,” she rolled her eyes Carrington style before heading to the entrance hall.

Reaching for the keys inside the copper bowl, she unlocked the large oak wood door before pulling it open. She thought it was a bit suspicious that her uncle would ring the doorbell instead of just walking in like he always did but decided to open it anyway.

“Charlotte, hello,” Laura said shortly at the sight of the six year old standing right in front of her. “Cute outfit,” she added.

Charlotte looked down at herself, making sure her tennis outfit was perfectly on point. She had chosen her favorite one for that day, after all; a light pink skirt, a white tank top and a thin elastic matching pink headband to keep her hair in place even though it was up in a ponytail.

“Oh you’re not Uncle Sam,” Charlotte sighed in frustration.

“I’m your grandmother,” she countered.

“ _Alexis_ is my grandmother,” the little girl fired back. “You’re Laura Van Kirk,”

“Ohh, is that what your mother has been teaching you?” Laura questioned, leaning her body forward to look at her eye to eye.

“Charlotte! You know you’re not supposed to open the door without an adult!” Maggie rushed into the entrance hall with Olvia wrapped around a yellow Winnie the Pooh towel. The youngest Ridley was still wet and naked from the bath she had just been taken from as the nanny headed for the door.

“I thought it was Uncle Sam,” Charlotte shrugged. “Where is that guy anyway? I’m late, people!” She threw her arms up in the air in desperation as she paced around the hall.

Maggie shook her head at Charlotte’s dramatic performance before turning towards the older woman still standing at the door. “Who the hell are you?”

“Laura Van Kirk,” she rolled her eyes as if it was obvious but Maggie only shot her another questioning look, not sure of what that was supposed to mean. “Liam’s mother?” The blonde added.

“Oh, okay,” Maggie nodded. “How can I help?”

“I’m here! I’m here!” Sam practically jumped all the steps to the balcony and almost ran into Laura as he tried to get to the house as fast as possible.

“Finally!” Charlotte exclaimed. “I will go get my stuff,”

“Laura?” Sam asked in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to meet my granddaughter,” Laura commented while walking through the front door.

“She’s nine month old,” Maggie spoke, getting more confused by the second. She had been working for the Ridley’s for almost a year and she had never seen that woman.

“She _never_ visits,” Charlotte returned with her backpack already on her back and her pink racket in her hands.

“Where’s my son?” Laura asked.

“On a romantic getaway with mom,” Charlotte replied nonchalantly, “and you’d _know_ that if you ever called to see how we’re doing,”

“Charlie...” Sam threw her a serious look.

“I can see my son keeps failing at his tasks,” Laura groaned, “that one is becoming a true Carrington, just like her mother, ugh,”

“Did you come all the way down to Atlanta to insult them?” Sam raised his tone, taking a step forward so he was standing between Laura and Charlotte.

 _“Voy tarde, tío Sam!”_ Charlotte complained, choosing to speak it in spanish hoping that Laura wouldn’t get between them again.

“I know you’re late, Charlie,” Sam told her. “We’ll leave in a minute, I promise,” he turned towards Maggie. “See if you can reach Fallon or Liam. Let them know a certain Van Kirk is here,” he instructed before facing Laura. “Look, I have to take Charlotte to practice and Liam is not even here so why don’t you just go home?” He suggested. “I’m sure you have more interesting things to do back in New York,”

“How long have you been playing?” Laura took a step to the right so she could look properly at Charlotte.

“Over a year,” she replied.

“Why don’t we make this practice a lot more interesting and you play against me?” Laura suggested but Sam quickly interfered.

“No, no, no,” Sam shook his head.

“What do I get if I win?” Charlotte requested and Sam could only run his hand through his hair. _Why does she have to act so much like her mother?_ Sam asked himself. _She sees a challenge and she’s ready to take it._

“What do you want?” Laura countered.

“A pair of sunglasses, a puppy and a thousand dollars,” Charlotte set her hands on her hips while looking up at her, “and some ice cream would be nice too,” she added.

“You _have_ a puppy,” Laura nodded to the french bulldog lying behind the six year old.

“I want another one,” she replied boldly.

“What kind of sunglasses?” Laura asked.

“Round and black with a thin gold arm,” Charlotte told her, “from Prada of course,” she rolled her eyes.

“What kind of ice cream?” Laura continued.

“Strawberry,”

“You can buy the puppy, the sunglasses and the ice cream if I give you the thousand dollars,” Laura informed, trying to trick her into choosing a worse deal.

“I want the puppy, the glasses, the ice cream _and_ a thousand dollars,” Charlotte confronted Laura while crossing her arms and throwing her a sassy and daring look. “Do we have a deal, Van Kirk?” She tilted her head to the side before offering her grandmother her hand.

“We have a deal, Ridley,” Laura gave her a slight nod before shaking her extended hand to close the deal.

* * *

“You do know your parents are going to kill me when they find out about this, right?” Sam sat down on the bench then settled one hand on her lower back to pull her closer to him, “or even worse... they won’t let me see you ever again,”

“I can handle her, Uncle Sam,” Charlotte offered him a smile.

“You’re only six, Charlotte,”

“And a half,” she added.

“I know you play with your parents sometimes but she’s not them,” Sam was worried sick that she would end up getting hurt.

“Mom said we can never back down from a challenge just because we don’t think we can win,” Charlotte told him. “I know I’m smaller and weaker but I have to at least _face_ her,” she shrugged.

“You can back down if you might get hurt in the process, Charlie,” Sam informed.

“I’m _not_ backing down,” she insisted, drinking from her water bottle before taking her racket and running to the court.

“Oh dear Lord, help me,” Sam looked up at the sky while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“Damn, you’re good!” Charlotte screamed when she missed the ball and Laura won the game and that set.

“I started playing tennis even before your parents were born, Charlotte,” Laura placed one hand on her hip.

The six year old was breathing hard, there was sweat all over her body and her hair was pointing in every direction but the blonde woman seemed perfectly fine. They had been playing for the past half an hour and much to Laura’s surprise, Charlotte was actually an amazing player. She clearly wasn’t going easy on Charlotte but the little girl was not disappointing, catching most of the balls that Laura threw at her and her counterattack was simply flawless.

“You won three sets and I won two,” Charlotte screamed as she ran to the bench to get her water bottle. “I can still turn this around and get to five before you,” she told her.

“Oh Charlotte, don’t be naive,” Laura met her granddaughter by the net before they could start another game, “you don’t stand a chance,”

“Why is that?” Charlotte faced her. “Just because I’m six?”

“No,” Laura laughed, “you would stand a chance against me had you gotten more of your father when you were born...” she rolled her eyes, “I'm sorry but this Carrington blood inside you is just getting in the way, sweetheart,”

“Don’t talk about my mom,” Charlotte raged, glaring at Laura as her cheeks turned red.

“Your mom could never win against me, dear,” Laura provoked, sending her a spiteful look.

“Maybe not at tennis but she did get my _dad_ , didn’t she?” Charlotte fired back.

“Did your mom teach you that just so you could throw it at my face, you naughty-"

“That’s enough!” Sam screamed, making sure to interrupt Laura before she could say all kind of bad words to Charlotte. “I think it’s time to go home...”

“I have to beat her, Uncle Sam!” Charlotte looked at him.

“You’re losing and this is starting to get out of hand with you two bickering,” Sam told her.

“I can turn this around and it’s not my fault she’s saying bad things about mom,” Charlotte shrugged.

“I don’t like this, Charlotte...”

“Are you going to let us play or what?” Laura spoke harshly at Sam.

“Look,” Sam approached Laura when Charlotte ran to the back of the court to prepare for her serve, “you better start treating her with more respect. She’s not a toy for you to play your sick games against Fallon,” he said before leaving the court and returning to his seat.

They were halfway through the sixth set when Sam’s phone started vibrating in his pocket. His eyes were glued on Charlotte, making sure she wasn’t pushing herself too much just to beat Laura and so far everything was going great. He noticed Laura wasn’t playing as hard and fast as she could be, giving the six year old an actual chance of defending her side and Charlotte was indeed an amazing player as she managed to get most of the balls Laura threw at her.

However, if watching that game wasn’t already stressful enough, Sam started sweating as soon as Fallon’s name appeared on his screen. It suddenly felt even scarier than watching Charlotte face her wicked grandmother on a tennis court.

“Samuel Jones, where the hell is my daughter?” Fallon screamed when he finally accepted the call and he wondered if he even needed the phone as he could swear he heard her all the way from their secluded cabin in the mountains.

“Good morning to you too, Mrs. Ridley, how are you on this fine morning?” Sam asked.

“I am not kidding, Sam, and I’m definitely not happy!” Fallon raged.

“She’s playing tennis and I’m right here just waiting to take her home,” he explained.

“Maggie told me Laura is there with you so quit omiting information and tell me what the hell is going on there!”

“Fal, calm down,” he heard Liam’s voice on the other end.

“I bet that is your mom on the phone with your uncle,” Laura screamed at Charlotte before hitting the ball back to the six year old’s side, “you don’t want her to listen to you lose, do you?”

“Stop talking about my mom!” Charlotte screamed as she hit the ball with all of her strength. The ball flew towards Laura’s side at an incredibly high speed and skillfully so far to her left that even running as fast as she could through the court, Laura couldn’t manage to defend it.

“Charlotte!” Sam didn’t even realize how much stress and panic his scream would cause Fallon but he dropped his phone when he saw her pink racket flying in the air and Charlotte throwing herself on the ground with her hand on her ankle.

Sam was just about to run towards her when he noticed Laura doing just that. She kneeled down in front of Charlotte and asked to check her leg while he grabbed his phone from the floor.

“I think I turned it the wrong way,” Charlotte looked up at her with tears in her eyes, “the racket slipped and I just fell,”

“I know,” Laura reached for the pink racket before taking Charlotte in her arms. “You hit the ball so hard and fast that your body spinned and you fell. You put too much force on your racket for your small body to balance,”

“What the hell happened?” Sam rushed towards them, not even bothering to update Fallon on what was going on after his sudden scream.

“It wasn’t my fault if that’s what you’re thinking,” Laura started.

“Yes, it was!” Charlotte exclaimed. “You’re lucky that gave me the set,” she looked at her grandmother. “Now it’s three to three,”

“Sam!” They heard Fallon’s loud voice through the phone. “Is that Laura?!”

“Mommy?” Charlotte looked at Sam, who just nodded.

“Let me talk to her,” Laura asked for the phone. “Go gather her stuff because we’re going to the hospital,”

“Laura, I’m about this close to killing you,” Fallon informed as soon as she heard her mother-in-law’s voice on the phone.

“I know Charlotte is only six year old and it’s not like I was training her for the Wimbledon tournament,” Laura told her, “we were just playing and she was having fun,”

“It hurts...” Charlotte cried.

Fallon held the phone between her ear and shoulder so she could collect all the clothes scattered across the room. Meanwhile, Liam was occupied gathering their stuff from the ensuite and throwing it inside the first suitcase he could find.

"Have you seen my bra?" Fallon asked Liam as low as she could so no one else would hear her. She was so worried about Charlotte she could barely think straight and packing had never seemed such a hard task.

Liam pulled the black garment from under the bed and showed it to her. They were so lost in themselves when Maggie started calling them that it took the couple almost twenty minutes to pick up the nanny’s call but as soon as they heard Laura’s name, they knew their romantic getaway had just been ruined.

“She hit the ball too hard and her body spinned because of her light weight and she fell,” Laura explained. “She needs to improve her balance and keep her feet on the floor when she’s going to attack like that. It was an honest mistake for someone who is still learning how to play. She’s complaining about the pain but it’s not swollen so I don’t think it’s broken but we’re going to take her for an x-ray just in case,” she reassured them.

“Mom! What the hell were you thinking?” Liam took the phone when he noticed Fallon was hyperventilating and could barely breath.

The brunette sat down on the edge of the bed, running her hand through her hair in worry and panic. They had been planning this getaway for weeks and they made sure everything was perfect and in order so they could spend four days by themselves. No work, no kids and no responsibilities; just them. Day two was only starting and a surprise visit from her mother-in-law was not only about to ruin their special trip but also take Charlotte to the hospital while they were hours away from Atlanta.

“As I told Fallon, we were just playing,” Laura rolled her eyes.

“You’re never _just_ playing, mom!” Liam groaned. “I grew up with you, remember? You say you were playing but you were probably pushing her harder and harder,” he told her, “and you know very well how much like Fallon she is so you knew she wouldn’t give in and would try to win at all costs,”

“She wasn’t supposed to get hurt, Liam! I would never do that to her, for God’s sake!” Laura fired back. “I may not be a real grandmother as she already pointed out to me earlier but I would never harm her in any way,”

“I know Charlotte, mom. She knows her limits and she would never hit the ball that hard if you hadn’t pushed her to it,” Liam raged. “I don’t even want to know what you said to her but I _know_ you said something to make her mad,”

“Come on, let’s go,” Sam returned with all of her stuff and took Charlotte in his arms.

“Fallon and I are driving back to Atlanta,” Liam informed. “We will get there in a couple of hours and I better not find my daughter with a broken bone!”

* * *

“Can I at least get an ice cream?” Charlotte broke the silence in the car as Sam drove them back to the house. “It was a tie but I’m hungry,”

“I guess I can buy you some ice cream since it’s the last time I will ever see you,” Laura shrugged.

“No!” Sam screamed, surprising both of them with his sudden outburst. He took his right hand off the steering wheel and pointed a finger at Laura, “you’re not getting anywhere near her,” he looked at Charlotte through the rearview mirror, “and you, little miss, better behave until your mom and dad gets back,”

“Why is it such a big deal?” Charlotte asked. “My ankle is not even broken. It’s just sprained. I will live,”

“We’re here,” Sam announced, turning off the car. “You want me to carry you to your room, Charlotte?”

“No, I can walk,” Charlotte groaned.

The six year old got off the car and made her way carefully towards the house then headed straight to the kitchen to get a bag of frozen peas. Walking up the stairs, she started complaining to herself about the sudden turn of events. As she reached the second floor, she noticed Olivia was alone in the playroom, crawling across the colorful mats while trying to collect some toys. She unlocked the white baby gate at the door and stepped inside.

“I’m in serious trouble, Ollie,” Charlotte threw herself on the mat.

Charlotte placed the frozen peas on her sprained ankle then reached for one of the stuffed animals scattered around the room to wave it at her sister. She had come up with that nickname for her sister the moment she saw her lying in the hospital crib and while everyone called her Liv, Charlotte never let go of her own choice of nickname. She also insisted it was Olivia’s favorite nickname since she always laughed and screamed at Charlotte when she called her that.

“Eh eh,” Olivia crawled towards her and raised one hand from the floor to offer her another animal.

“Mom and dad are never traveling without us ever again,” Charlotte accepted the small elephant with a timid smile, “and I scratched my knee just before summer... how am I supposed to wear dresses out of the house now?”

Olivia climbed on Charlotte’s lap, sitting on her good leg and resting her head on her sister’s chest. The six year old wrapped her arm around her baby sister and rested her chin on the top of Olivia’s head.

“You want to play with Mr. Elephant?” Charlotte waved the small gray animal in front of her and Olivia’s laugh filled the room as she tried to reach for it. “Hello, Ollie,” she spoke in a different tone, pretending it was the elephant speaking while leaning its trunk against Olivia’s nose as if they were looking eye to eye, “I wanna play with you too,” she added.

 _“Mom?!”_ Charlotte’s eyes widened at her dad’s scream coming from the first floor.

 _“Where’s Charlotte?!”_ Fallon screamed right after him and she could hear the footsteps moving fast up the stairs.

“You’re cute and adorable so just use your puppy eyes on them when they come kill me,” Charlotte tightened her grip on Olivia but the nine month old baby just giggled, trying to lean forward to grab the elephant from her sister’s hand.

“Alie,” Olivia looked up at Charlotte and placed her tiny palm on her cheek.

“Oh my god! Say that again!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Who am I, baby?” She asked.

“Alie,” Olivia offered her a smile before returning her attention fully to the elephant.

“Charlotte!” Fallon rushed into the playing room and threw herself on the floor to check on her. “What happened, baby?” She placed one hand on the bag of peas that Charlotte was holding while the other went straight to her still messy hair.

“I’m okay, mom,” Charlotte reassured her. “It’s just a sprained ankle but it will heal with rest and ice,” she explained, “but Ollie just said her first word, mom!”

“What?” Fallon fell backwards, landing on her ass a few inches from the girls. “I missed that?!”

“I’m afraid so,” Charlotte shrugged.

“Say it to mama, pumpkin,” Fallon settled one hand on each side of her baby’s body and pulled her to herself. “Can you say mama?” She bounced Olivia on her knees. “Say mama, Liv,”

“Alie,” Olivia turned her upper body away from Fallon and extended both of her arms towards Charlotte as she tried to go back to her sister. “Uhh,” she groaned, trying to leave Fallon’s grip.

“See? She’s saying Charlie!” Charlotte bounced in excitement. “Come here, baby girl, your sister is so proud of you,” she crawled towards Fallon and took Olivia in her arms.

“What? No,” Fallon complained, glancing between her two daughters in complete disbelief. “Your first word was mama and hers should be too,” she told Charlotte.

“Guess I’m more important than you, mom,” Charlotte teased her mother while hugging Olivia tightly. “You like Charlie more than mama, Ollie?” Olivia laughed loudly in response, her eyes sparkling as she leaned against her sister.

“This is so not fair,” Fallon groaned.

“What’s wrong?” Liam walked into the room at the exact moment Fallon leaned back against the wall with a devastating look on her face.

“Not only did we miss our daughter’s first word but she wasn’t even calling us,” Fallon told him.

“Ollie said Charlie!” Charlotte couldn’t control her happiness and excitement. “She said Alie and mommy even heard her!”

“What?” Liam’s eyes widened. “No!” He complained. “We missed it?”

“You’re worried about that?” Fallon asked. “She was supposed to say mama,”

“Charlotte said mama first, doesn’t that count?” Liam looked at Fallon. “I’m kinda hurt that none of them started with dada,”

“You could get another one,” Charlotte looked between them and they both turned at her with a puzzled and shocked look in her eyes. “Maybe it will say dada first,” she shrugged.

“This body is not pushing out another one of these, no,” Fallon shook her head before Liam could even look at her. “Don’t get any ideas, Mr. Ridley,”

“And risk getting another replica of you?” Liam questioned. “It’s clear that we only know how to make girls and I think I’m okay with two Fallons in this house,” he laughed.

“Fair enough,” Fallon nodded. “Did you talk to Laura?”

“Not much,” Liam replied. “I wanted to check on Charlotte before I _really_ talked to her,”

“I’m okay,” Charlotte told him. “I’m okay, dad,”

“What really happened on the tennis court, Charlotte?” Liam sat down on the floor beside Fallon, taking one of his wife’s hands in his as he waited for an answer.

“She kept talking about mom,” Charlotte murmured.

“What?” Liam asked.

“What about me?” Fallon added.

“That I would never win against her because I have Carrington blood in me,” Charlotte started, “and that you were a failure because you’re letting your daughter become just like her mother,”

“Oh my god,” Liam ran his finger through his hair.

“Then you called and she said mommy was going to hear me lose and I hit the ball as hard as I could,” she explained, “and I won that set so I guess it wasn’t all that bad,” she shrugged.

“Not that bad? How can she say something like this to you?” Liam stood up abruptly, heading to the door.

“Liam...” Fallon tried but he was already stepping out of the room.

“I’m gonna talk to her and get this over with for once and for all,” Liam groaned before making his way to the stairs.

“Charlie, why don’t you go take a shower and change into some fresh clothes?” Fallon suggested. “Do you need any help?”

“No, but I will leave the door open and so I can scream if I need you,” Charlotte pushed herself up on her feet.

* * *

“Please, mommy, don’t be mad,” Charlotte murmured as soon as she walked back into her bedroom and found Fallon sitting on the bed end, thinking and staring at her own hands.

“I’m not mad, Charlotte,” Fallon offered her a comforting smile. “I’m upset about this situation but I’m not mad. Mommy’s relationship with Laura is a lot more complicated than you think,” she opened her arms as an invitation for Charlotte to join her on the bed.

“How complicated, mom?” The six year old climbed on the bed then crawled onto her Fallon’s lap, sitting sideways on her legs while throwing one arm around her mother’s shoulders.

“She can’t stand me and to be honest I don’t really like her either but that’s not the point here. What worries me is that you’re too much like me, Charlotte, and she sees that clearly,” Fallon wrapped her arm around Charlotte’s small body to keep her from sliding off her legs, “which is why I freak out every time she‘s in Atlanta,”

“Why do you freak out, mom?” Charlotte questioned.

“She’s not really a fan of how much you look like me,” Fallon admitted. “Your appearance, yes, but the way you talk, the way you behave... it’s all me and let’s just say she’s not a fan of that. You know how crazy you drive your dad every time you does something I would do?” Charlotte nodded. “Well, he may be overdramatic about it most of the time and don’t tell him I told you this but he secretly _loves_ that,”

“He does?!” Charlotte’s eyes sparkled.

“Yeah,” Fallon giggled, “daddy loves that after everything we’ve been through, he got a mini version of me at the end,” she told her, “but Laura doesn’t really see it this way, princess. She’s hard on your father because he doesn’t really care about the Van Kirk’s business or anything related to them actually and she’s even harder on me because she doesn’t like me,” she explained, “and I worry that she might not treat you with respect because of how much Fallon she sees in you,”

“What’s wrong with being like you?” Charlotte glanced up at her, a puzzled look in her eyes, “you’re amazing,” she added.

“You don’t need to know all the details, Charlie. One day, when you get older, you’ll probably understand but for now I can tell you that she just doesn’t like me...” Fallon raised one of her arms and traced her fingers gently through her hair, taking a moment to just gaze her six year old as her thumb softly caressed her cheek. “It’s okay if you don’t like someone. We’re humans, we’re not going to like everyone we meet. You know that guy Jared from your class that you don’t like?” She nodded. “He never did anything to you and you never did anything to you but for some reason you two don’t get along and that’s okay, as long as you always treat each other with respect if you ever need to talk one another,”

“But you two always fight when you’re in the same room...” Charlotte commented. “Why don’t you treat her with that respect you’re talking about?”

“Because my mom didn’t teach me how to be that person,” Fallon replied. “Your dad’s taught me more than my parents ever did when it comes to being patient and more welcoming towards people but I still have my flaws, Charlie. Flaws that make me the person I am today and probably flaws that will be with me forever because it’s too late for me already,” she explained, “but we’re raising you to be different. Our job here is to make sure you get the best of me and the best of daddy but she keeps throwing at our face’s how much we’re raising you to be me,”

“Well, I wanna be like you,” Charlotte mentioned and Fallon couldn’t help but smile at her words.

“That’s exactly the point here, princess. She doesn’t really like me, she never did to be honest, and my biggest fear is that she will treat you exactly how treats me,” Fallon told her. “I don’t think she really accepts that her granddaughter is more of a Carrington than a Van Kirk,”

“But I’m a _Ridley_ ,” Charlotte countered.

“On paper, yes,” Fallon couldn’t hold the laugh that escaped her lungs, “but your genes,” she paused, “and the DNA inside of you? You have both of them, baby,”

“What do you mean?” She asked.

“You are what you are because you are a Ridley, Charlotte. Like I said, we’re raising you to be different from all of us and you are this wonderful girl because you’re a Ridley,” Fallon started, “but there are things that inevitably come from your parents... like how you have my eyes and my hair, for example,” she explained.

“You’re sassy because of me and you have that sweet charisma because of your dad but your personality is all you. We joke about how you’re a mini Fallon but the truth is that you’re so much more, Charlotte,” Fallon spoke as she leaned her head against hers, “you’re sweet, kind and you care more about others than yourself. You can comfort anyone just by looking at them with those bright blue eyes of yours and when someone is feeling down you just hug them and tell them it’s going to be okay even if you have no clue of what’s happening,” she continued.

“It’s subtle but none of those came from me, baby, and everyone who knows you can see that but Laura barely visits us and she only sees what she wants to see. So she only sees the Fallon in you and the last thing I want is for you to be caught in the crossfire just because you’re _literally_ the mix of the Carringtons and Van Kirks,”

Wrapping both of her arms around Charlotte, Fallon pulled her as close as possible to her chest, feeling the sudden need to protect her daughter at all costs even though they were the only ones in the room.

“I’m telling you this so you understand why I get so worried and protective over you when she visits,” Fallon told her, “but she’s still family, Charlotte. In spite of everything, at the end of the day she will always be your grandmother and my complicated relationship with her should never be the reason why you two can’t have a nice relationship,”

“I don’t understand...” Charlotte looked at her confused.

“What, baby?”

“Alexis is my grandmother, right?” Fallon nodded. “She visits me all the time, she buys me toys, she gives me ice cream for dinner when she babysits, she picks me up at school sometimes... if that’s what a grandmother does than Laura is not my grandmother,” Charlotte concluded, “that means she’s just Laura,” she added with a shrug.

Fallon closed her eyes for a moment, trying to come up with the right words to say to Charlotte. She should have expected her daughter would get all analytical and literal, turning her mother’s words against her as she searched for the answers she wanted.

“That means she’s losing an amazing opportunity to watch you grow up, Charlotte,” Fallon told her, “but she’s your father’s mother, which makes her your grandmother, if you want to be so literal, but it’s important for your dad that she’s a part of your life so the least we can do is try, okay?” She said softly as she played with the long brown waves that were falling down Charlotte’s back.

“You shouldn’t say that she’s not your grandmother or that I don’t like her so you don’t like her either because that hurts dad a lot, Charlotte. Alexis chose to be a better person for you and I don’t really expect Laura to ever do that but they’re completely different so try not to compare the two of them, okay? I’m glad you have an amazing grandmother to ruin everything we teach you and give you ice cream for dinner when you should have protein and vegetables but just because Laura is not that person it doesn’t mean that you can’t have a good relationship with her, you understand?”

“Even if you don’t like her?” Charlotte asked.

“ _Even_ if I don’t like her,” Fallon asserted. “Monther-in-law and daughter-in-law’s mess stays between me and her. You’re not a part of it and I don’t want you to ever be,”

“Does it make me a bad person that I don’t love her like I love Alexis?” Charlotte leaned against Fallon, resting her head on her mother’s chest as she muttered those words.

Fallon had managed to be strong throughtout her entire talk with Charlotte but those words coming out of her mouth were enough to break her heart. Fallon felt a knot in her stomach as she was taken almost a decade back, when her mother finally returned after being gone for eleven years and she asked herself every day if she could ever love Alexis again like she had once done as a child. That was the _exact_ feeling she never wanted any of her daughter’s to experience.

Charlotte was only six year old and that conversation had already turned out way more emotional and heavy than she would have liked but her daughter was smart, she would keep asking them questions until she understood the entire situation so there was simply no point on lying to her. She would never admit to anyone but herself that she would do everything in her power to keep Laura away from Charlotte’s life but she had chosen not to do that because of Liam. If she could understand how important it was for her that Alexis was a part of Charlotte’s life, she needed to at least accept that Liam wanted the same for his own mother.

“We all feel different kinds of love, Charlotte,” Fallon started even though she had absolutely no idea of what to say to her. “Mommy loves daddy in a way that’s different from the way mommy loves you and Olivia, just like it’s different from the way mommy loves Alexis,” she explained, “but that doesn’t mean I love any of you any less... it’s just a different kind of love. Alexis lives in the same city as you so she’s here all the time and Laura is a bit more complicated and distant but that doesn’t mean you don’t love her,”

“I did have fun on the tennis court today,” Charlotte admitted. “I have ugly scratches on my knees and summer is just about to start but I think I can live with them,” she rolled her eyes.

“Just make sure you have mommy or daddy with you if you ever want a rematch, okay?” Fallon suggested.

“What if we all played together?” Charlotte’s eyes widened in excitement. “We could have a double match! You and me against daddy and Laura,”

“That’s something you should ask your dad,” Charlie,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh. “Last time Laura and Liam played on the same team wasn’t exactly pretty so why don’t you ask your dad how he feels about that double match?”

“Would _you_ play, mom? I need to know my team is solid to negotiate with dad,” Charlotte replied.

“If you want this double match so bad... I think I can play, yes,” Fallon offered her a smile.

“Yes!” Charlotte jumped in excitement and Fallon groaned when she bounced her not so light body on her legs.

"Only after your ankle heals completely though," Fallon added.

"It doesn't have to be tomorrow," Charlotte rolled her eyes. “It’s going to be the Carringtons against the Van Kirks!”

“Charlotte! I just spent the past hour telling you this is not a war between the two families and I believe I also said you’re not a Carrington just because you look like me,” Fallon rolled her eyes.

“I know, mom, but this is just a game...” Charlotte shrugged.

“A game that you’re taking way too seriously,”

“You gotta admit that the Carringtons versus the Van Kirks is a great name for the match!”

“If you use this argument you’re gonna lose your father before you even start, Charlotte,” Fallon warned her.

“Then it’ll be our little secret,” Charlotte whispered at her as a soft grin started to form on her lips.

“I’m serious, Charlotte,” Fallon stared at her. “I want to be clear that you understand _everything_ I just told you,”

“I do, mom,” Charlotte touched her cheek delicately, “I’m tiny but I’m smart,”

“Yes, that you are,” Fallon laughed.

“So... what do you say, mom?”

 _“One_ match,” Fallon nodded, _“one_ match and you don’t mention the match’s name to anyone but me,”

“Yes!” Charlotte exclaimed. “May the best family win,” she smiled before wrapping her arms around Fallon’s neck and pulling her in for a hug.


	7. Call 911

_“Is this Liam Ridley?”_ The man’s voice on the other side of the line made Liam throw his laptop on the couch and stand up abruptly. He was calling from an unkown number and his tone was soft, as if trying to provide him some kind of comfort.

“Yes, who is this?” Liam ran his hand through his hair. He started breathing fast and he felt like he had just been punched on the stomach as he heard the man take a deep breath.

Something wasn’t right and he was sure that man was just about to deliver bad news. His mind started wandering at miles per hour, trying to guess what could have happened. He had just talked to Fallon and she was still at the Manor with Charlotte. He hadn’t talked to his mother in weeks but he could only imagine he wouldn’t be the first one in her emergency contacts’ list in it was ever needed it.

 _“I’m George, a paramedic,”_ he replied. _“There was an accident on Horace Tate Freeway tonight due to snow and ice on the road and I’m afraid your wife and daughter were in one of the cars, Mr. Ridley,”_

Liam fell back on the couch faster than he had stood up. At that moment, he no longer knew how to breath and his heart was definitely not beating the way it should. He looked around the room for a second before closing his eyes. It felt like the whole world was spinning around him and he was falling into a dark hole as he felt what was probably the worst kind of pain he had ever felt.

 _“There were three different cars involved in the crash and so far we believe that one of the drivers lost control of the wheel and hit your family’s car. It flipped and ended up upside down,”_ he explained. _“They are both on their way to Grady Health System and their trauma surgeon is already waiting for them,”_ he added. _“Mr. Ridley, are you there?”_

“I’m,” Liam choked on the words that were trying to leave his throat unsuccessfully, “I’m here,” he wanted to stand up but his legs wouldn’t move, he wanted to scream but his lungs wouldn’t work and when he wanted to cry, the tears just wouldn’t fall.

 _“We did everything we could to stabilize them so they can get to the hospital with no further complications. Again, I’m so sorry, Mr. Ridley,”_ it was all he said before he hung up and Liam was left completely speechless and confused.

His job wasn’t to stay on the line and tell him everything would be okay, his job was simply to inform him about the accident but it had felt so heartless and cold.

When Liam finally managed to stand up from the couch, he noticed he was in already in his sleeping clothes. He had a deadline to meet in a couple of days and he had decided to stay home to write while Fallon and Charlotte went to the manor to have dinner with the Carringtons. As he rushed up the stairs, running as fast as humanly possible, all he could think about was how much he regretted not going to that dinner.

The paramedic had warned him about the accident but he hadn’t even bothered to said a word about their condition besides mentioning the trauma surgeon was waiting for them to get to the hospital. There was no way to know exactly what had happened to them until he got the information from the doctor himself but when his mind started picturing the worst case scenario, he fell on the floor, his knees hitting the hard wood as he burried his face in his hands and the tears finally started falling. They could be from a few scratches and possibly broken bones to head trauma and internal bleeding.

They had facetimed only twenty minutes before he got the worst phone call of his life. Fallon had been laughing loudly behind the screen as she filmed their daughter eating the enormous piece of chocolate cake Blake had given her. Charlotte had blown him a kiss and even offered him a bite, her face covered in fudge and he could even see some traces of strawberry sauce on her forehead and cheeks. What he wouldn’t give to listen to their laughs again? Liam wondered.

This wasn’t how they planned it. They were supposed to be the endgame; to be together forever. They were supposed to celebrate their golden wedding surrounded by their children and grandchildren. And Charlotte? She had turned four year old only two months back. She was supposed to have her whole life ahead of her.

It couldn’t just end. It wasn’t fair. Not after everything they had been through. The world couldn’t just take his girls away from him like that, in the dead of that gray and bitter night, when he thought staying home to finish a chapter was more important than dinner with the Carrington’s.

The only thing Liam knew for sure, at that moment, was that he would never forget that gray and bitter winter night. The night he got the phone call he never thought he would get. The night his heart stopped beating as he listened to the paramedic’s husky voice on the other end of the line.

* * *

Liam had no idea how he had even managed to drive for twenty minutes, his mind sending him flashes of his girls every time he reached a red light, but he jumped out of the car as fast as he could when he arrived at the Grady Health System parking lot. He didn’t know where to go or who to talk to but he was so disorientated he just rushed through the ER doors and headed straight to the first reception he caught his eyes on.

His heart was beating fast and he could barely breath, taking a moment to gather himself as he held onto the counter, staring down at his feet before looking up at the nurses on the other side. His face was covered in sweat and his hair was messy and disheveled from running his hand through it so much but he couldn’t help it.

“I’m looking for my wife and daughter,” Liam practically screamed when he felt the physical pain of saying that out loud. “They were in a car crash and I was informed they were brought here,”

“What are they names, sir?” One of the nurses asked politely. “All the victims of that car crash are being brought here but some of them are still on their way,”

“Fallon Carrington Ridley and Charlotte Grace Ridley,” Liam ran his hand through his hair one more time, his body turning 360 degrees as he hopelessly scanned the ER for his girls.

“It appears that Fallon was taken straight to surgery and Charlotte is getting a CT scan,” the nurse informed him as she looked through their files on the screen. “I will ask their doctors to come fill you in as soon as they can,” she offered him a shy smile. He knew it was a sorry one and he didn’t even want to imagine how many times a day she had to tell someone bad new about their loved ones. “Walk through those doors, turn right then the second to your left,” she pointed towards the door on the other side of the ER, “you will find the waiting room and I will let the doctors know they have family waiting,”

“Thank you,” Liam nodded. He knew it was all the information he was going to get out of her so there was not even a point on being angry or lashing out on her in order to find out more about them. Turning around, his knees still weak and his heart still a thousand per hour, he walked through the doors and made his way to the waiting room.

* * *

Liam had been waiting for only twenty minutes when someone finally arrived to give him an update on his family. He was sitting on one of the cold and hard chairs, his head burried in his hands as he waited desperately for any kind of news.

His heart wasn’t beating fast anymore, the anxious and desperation disappearing as sadness and hopelessness started taking over his body. His chest tightened every time he replayed the soft and pure interaction of Fallon and Charlotte eating chocolate cake through the facetime call earlier that night.

A smile appeared on his lips every time his mind reminded himself of his favorite laughs as if they were standing right next to him. However, as soon as he looked at his surroundings, at the people waiting to hear some good news while others cried over the loss of their loved ones, the tears started rolling down his cheeks faster and that was when the hiccups started.

He couldn’t imagine ever being in their position - neither of them, if he was honest - because he always did everything in his power to make sure they were always safe and happy. Fallon and Charlotte weren’t supposed to be in a hospital and they definitely weren’t supposed to be fighting for their lives just because some idiot couldn’t control his car.

Liam had never been a strong believer of God but it felt like praying was the only thing he could do at that moment. Maybe praying would bring him some kind of positivity and some kind of comfort while he waited for news but he only felt more nervous. It didn’t bring him the kind of closure he was hoping for but instead make him feel even more pain, as if someone was pushing a hard and heavy object against his chest because he wasn’t sure he was even breathing anymore.

He wasn’t sure how long he had been sitting there and as he kept trying to tell himself no news was better than fast bad news. It meant the doctors were doing whatever they could to help them and it meant they were fighting. It meant that he still had both of his girls and that a car crash hadn’t taken them away from him in a matter of a second.

“Mister Ridley?” His head shot straight up when he heard his name behind him.

Liam stood up from the chair abruptly, one of his hands flying to his temple as he saw the world spin in front of him. He couldn’t tell the last time he had ate anything and the fast movement definitely didn’t help his blood pressure. He glanced at the two doctors standing in front of them before running both of his hands over his eyes in an attempt of getting rid of the tears.

“I’m Doctor Miller,” the blonde woman started. She wore dark scrubs under her white coat and he couldn’t help but notice the small elephant right next to her embroidered name. “I’m a pediatrician and I would like to talk to you about your daughter, Charlotte,”

“Tell me she’s okay, please,” were the first and only words he could mutter.

“She is,” the doctor nodded, “Charlotte was awake and responsible when she arrived but the paramedics had immobilized her right arm and leg because of the possible damage the crash could have caused considering the position she was found inside the car. We chose to take her immediately to the MRI so we could have a better look at her bones and possible fractures,” she explained. “Her legs have bruises but the bones are intact and the muscles didn’t suffer any damage at all,” Liam sighed in relief at the information but crossed his arms in front of his chest as he waited for her to continue. “We found no broken ribs but her right arm was broken during the crash,”

“Oh my god,” Liam looked up at the ceiling, focusing on the lights as he tried hard not to cry more than he already was but he just couldn’t think of a single reason not to. He walked in circles for a few seconds, both of the doctors allowing him time to process the news and gather his thoughts, one of his hands covering his mouth while the other rested on his hips.

“We scanned her entire body for broken bones, bleeding or any other trauma,” the doctor told him. “Charlotte is perfectly okay except for her right arm, which has a buckle fracture, as we call. It happens when something compresses part of the bone, crunching it down upon itself and the other side of the bone buckles,” she explained. “Children have softer and more flexible bones so when they face some kind of trauma, this kind of fracture is actually the most common. Adult bones are stronger and under this kind of trauma, it usually cracks and the most likely scenario is breaking into fragments which usually requires surgery and a tougher recovery,”

“But Charlotte won’t need surgery, right?” Liam asked. “Please, tell me my four year old baby won’t need surgery,”

“No, no she won’t,” she replied right away, “we gave her a generous dose of medication to help with the pain so she will probably sleep through the entire night,” she explained. “She’s getting a cast made on her arm right as we speak so we can keep it totally immobilized. Charlotte is a child and even when there’s something wrong with them they refuse to stay still because they just want to play all the time so the cast will keep her arm safe while we give it time to heal,”

“How long is she supposed to wear the cast, doctor?”

“About a month,” she answered, “we usually see great recovery on the bones after week three but since kids are pretty active, the longer we can keep it immobilized the better,”

“Will her arm heal completely with the cast?” Liam looked at her, his eyes filled with concern. “Should we expect any long term damaged or anything?”

“Yes, her arm will look brand new when we remove the cast, Mr. Ridley,” she nodded, “there is usually no effect on the long-term health of the child’s bone. It’s important, however, that you follow the treatment to the letter even though it will be rough most of the time. She will want to remove the cast, she will complain that it hurts or itches and she will require help considering it’s her dominant arm. Your job is to make sure she rests and takes her medication at the right time. Charlotte is okay, Mr. Ridley. We’re gonna keep her here for the night just to be sure but you’ll be able to take her home tomorrow,” the doctor explained. “A nurse will come find you to take you to her room in a few,”

“Thank you so much, Doctor Miller,” Liam offered her a smile.

He hadn’t heard any news from Fallon yet, which he was starting to think it wasn’t a good thing considering she had been taken straight to surgery but he tried to be positive and focus on the good news he had just gotten about their daughter. He would go crazy and panic even more if he started thinking of everything that could have happened to Fallon so he decided to hold onto the news that his little girl was doing okay.

“Excuse me, are you the husband of Fallon Carrington Ridley?” Two police officers approached him with a folder and a few papers in hand.

“Yes, I am,” Liam nodded.

“I’m Officer Jones and this is my partner Officer Ramirez,” the taller and stronger one spoke. “We just want to inform you that as a part of the investigation we have to request the blood analysis from all of the drivers involved in the crash,” he started. “We will check for alcohol or other kind of substances to understand if that could be a reason for the crash,”

“Are you saying that _Fallon_ caused this?!” His face turned all kinds of red as rage crawled up his body.

“No,” Officer Ramirez spoke right away, “we’re not accusing any of the drivers but it’s a procedure we have to follow. We’ve checked the surveillance cameras around the area and our team is still retrieving information from the scene. We will know more on the next couple of days but so far our team has identified that one of the drivers lost control of his car and was about to hit your family’s car,”

“What do you mean about to hit the car? It did hit them!” Liam exclaimed. “They’re here, aren’t them? When they were supposed to be home! Safe and sound!” He screamed.

“Your wife was driving on the one of the middle lanes while the car that lost control was on the far right,” Officer Jones explained in a lower and calmer tone. “When she saw the car coming towards her direction, she threw her car to the left but the other car ended up hitting the back of hers and pushed it towards the left lane,” he continued.

“The third car involved was driving at full speed on the left lane and wasn’t able to break fast enough and it hit the left side of your wife’s car, making it flip a few times before falling back upside down,” Officer Ramirez explained, trying to find the best words to tell him exactly what had happened on that road that night. He paused when the broken husband plopped down on the chair behind him, shaking his head from one side to the other in denial and desperation.

“Your daughter’s car seat was on the right side of the car so we have reason to believe she turned the car to her left when she thought it was going to hit her,” Officer Jones added. “The third car hit your wife’s side and while the car flipped, the right side was barely untouched. The windows were broken and the door were smashed but the car seat kept your daughter in place through the whole thing. She was holding a teddy bear next to her head when we found her and it actually helped because when the car flipped, her head hit the stuffed animal and not any of the hard surfaces of the car,” he explained. “Your wife did everything she could to protect your daughter, Mister Ridley,”

“Do you have any questions?” Officer Ramirez asked.

“How was she found?” Liam asked. “My wife?”

“The impact from the car hitting her door made her lose consciousness right away,” the taller office replied, “her left arm was stuck between the seat and the smashed door and thankfully the seatbelt kept her glued to her seat and her neck and head remained untouched,”

“My daughter was found awake...” Liam murmured, “which means she saw her mother pass out with blood all over her body,” his eyes closed shut and he plopped down on one of the chairs behind him. “Oh this can’t be happening,” he shook his head as he finally allowed the tears to return and take over him.

“We’re very sorry, Mr. Ridley. We will keep in touch and we will let you know about the developments of the investigation,” Officer Ramirez said before they excused themselves.

* * *

It was almost 3AM when a nurse walked into the private room on the pediatrician floor asking to speak with Liam. He had been sitting for hours next to Charlotte’s bed, watching her sleep as if he felt the need to keep his eyes on her at all times. She was sleeping soundly, exactly like Doctor Miller had warned him she would and the machines attached to her body indicated that everything was under control.

“Mister Ridley, I’m Doctor Powell,” the dark haired man offered him his hand. “I’m your wife’s trauma surgeon,”

“How is she?” Liam asked in desperation. “How is Fallon?”

“Your wife arrived with the left side of her body very compromised and serious internal bleeding due to the blunt trauma,” he started. “Surprisingly she sustained no broken ribs and we were able to repair the broken bones on both her arm and leg but the internal bleeding turned out to be a lot more extense than we thought,” he continued. “She started bleeding from her abdomen but the damage was so severe she was bleeding out a lot faster than we could repair,”

“Oh my god, no,” Liam threw himself against the hall, his back crashing on it with a loud thud, “please no,” he begged as the tears rolled down his cheeks.

“The human body requires a certain blood pressure and an adequate volume of blood to be able to deliver oxygen to the tissues. When this fails and the tissues don’t get as much oxygen as they need, the body compensates by increasing the blood pressure and blood flow so the heart rate increases,” he continued. “Her heart stopped for a few seconds when it became too much for her body to handle but we were able to bring her back as we controlled the bleeding. She was out for less than a minute but we got her heart to start beating again,”

“She _died?_ ” Those two words were the only ones that managed to escape his lips as he slid down against the wall, falling on the floor with both of his hands on his hair. He had heard every single word the doctor had spoken but for some reason he wasn’t able to process anything after he mentioned her heart had stopped. “No, please, this can’t be happening,” Liam shook his head fast, his vision almost completely blurred as his eyes flooded with tears.

“It started beating again, Liam,” one of the nurses offered her hand to him so he could stand back up. “Your wife fought hard on that table. She was very brave,” she told him.

“She lost a lot of blood because of the trauma and we did everything we could but unfortunately we couldn’t save the baby, Liam,” Doctor Powell continued, choosing to call him by his first name hoping it would bring him some kind of comfort.

“What,” the word was barely a whisper as it left his lips, “what _baby_?” He swallowed hard, taking one step backwards until his body hit the wall behind him with quite some force.

“Based on the hCG levels in her blood, she was between four or five weeks pregnant,” the doctor informed him. “The miscarriage was probably what led to such a severe internal bleeding as we tried to save it but her body had been through too much already. It was too risky to continue so we had to terminate it in order to save your wife’s life,” he explained. “We tried to be as non-invasive as we could so we wouldn’t cause any further damages to her uterus. She’s a healthy young woman so we did our best to make sure she can still carry a child after all of this is over,”

“She’s okay then?” Liam asked. “Fallon is okay, right? That means she’s okay?”

Liam was still trying to understand everything the doctor had just told him but every time he mentioned something new about Fallon he felt his own heart was going to stop beating. _How could Fallon be pregnant?_ He asked himself. They weren’t even trying.

Why couldn’t they be one of those normal couples that find out about a pregnancy because the woman just can’t stop throwing up? Why did they have to go through hell every time they found out about a baby? They fought and barely spoke any words to each other when they found out about Charlotte and then year later a car hits both of them and takes their unborn child from them. All they ever wanted was a normal and uncomplicated life after everything they had been through growing up but apparently those were not the plans life had chosen for them.

Fallon had done everything she could to save Charlotte and she didn’t even know about the tiny baby growing inside her stomach. It hurt him deeply to know that they were never going to meet that little one but he had to be brave and strong at that moment because his girls needed him more than anything. As much as his heart ached, he tried to push that pain aside in order to focus on what really mattered at that moment; how Fallon and Charlotte really were.

“Her heart is very weak and her body has been through an enormous amount of stress, which means she will probably not wake up for a few days,” Doctor Powell continued, “we’re taking her to the ICU and we will monitor her 24 hours a day to make sure she’s in a good condition. She’s stable now but the next 24 to 48 hours are the most critical and important ones because now it’s up to her body doing its own job. She’s under a heavy sedation so she won’t feel any pain and we’ve done everything we could but now her body needs to get stronger so it can start healing,”

“Isn’t there anything you can do? To make her stronger now?” Liam asked.

“All we can do now is wait, Mister Ridley. She’s stable, which is a good sign. We’re administering medication to help with the pain but also to help her body recover from both the accident, the invasive surgery and also the stress from the miscarriage,” he explained. “We have to give her time now. We can’t speed up this process or try to make her stronger with drugs because this will only cause more damage to her body. We will be monitoring her closely and hopefully her body will start coming back to normal soon,”

“Can I see her?” Liam looked between the doctor and the nurse. “I need to see her,”

“You should be able to come up to the ICU in a few minutes,” the nurse told him. “You can’t spend the night there but you can stay with her for about an hour. I will let you know when you cab come up,” she informed.

“I will just...” Liam gestured towards the room behind him and the nurse replied with a soft nod, understanding that all he needed at that moment was his little one.

Walking back into the cold and blue hospital room, Liam approached the bed and laid down on it, carefully moving Charlotte just slightly to the left as he slid under the covers. She was still unconscious from the medication but she snuggled closer to him as best as she could. Her broken arm was lying on her stomach, the white cast resting over the warm blanket.

Wrapping one arm around her body, he wondered how she had managed to get out of that crash with nothing but a broken arm. She did have a few scratches on her body but they were all minor. Leaning his head against hers, he placed one long kiss on her forehead before his eyes travelled to her chest. As he waited for the nurse to return, he watched Charlotte’s body moving up and down as she breathed soundly. Fallon had done everything she could to protect their daughter and there she was, safe and sound, sleeping in his arms as if it was just another normal night. He closed his eyes for a moment and took in Charlotte’s delicate baby perfume, the one that reminded him so much of her mother’s.

“We need to help mommy get through this, princess,” Liam spoke softly, “she never needed us as much as she needs us right now so we gotta do everything in our power to help her,”

**TO BE CONTINUED**


	8. Call 911 - Part II

**WEEK 1**

Liam was sitting on the armchair by Fallon’s bed, his book still open but completely forgotten on his lap as he stared at his wife. His left hand was holding her right one, his thumb drawing soft circles against the delicate skin on the back of her hand, one of the few surfaces of her body that wasn’t covered in bruises.

Fallon had a cast on her left arm and a larger one on her left leg. Her knee had remained intact thankfully but her ankle hadn’t been as lucky. The stitches on her forehead didn’t look that bad anymore and her lips only had a tiny purple spot from when she bit her lip involuntarily as the car hit them. The swelling had reduced and she was starting to look like herself again. He had made sure the best plastic surgeon - and only him - worked on her face because if he knew his wife, she wouldn’t care about anything but she would die if she had a single scar on her face.

“How is she?” Alexis asked softly as she stepped into the ICU room with a sleeping Charlotte in her arms.

“Still no change...” Liam replied. “She’s breathing on her own, her heart is getting stronger but she still won’t wake up,” he looked at Fallon and closed his eyes for a minute but Alexis could still spot the tear that rolled down his cheek. “It’s been five days...”

“Fallon will wake up, Liam, she’s strong,” Alexis spoke as she approached the bed. “Charlotte wouldn’t stop asking about Fallon but she fell asleep in the car,”

“She spent the night awake again?” Liam asked.

“Yes,” Alexis nodded, “we watched the two Frozen movies and she kept asking for Fallon but she wouldn’t close her eyes, not even for a few minutes,” she told him, “and when she _does_ fall asleep she usually sleeps for about an hour before she wakes up screaming for Fallon. I sleep with her every night, I hug her close to me and I sing to her but none of these really matter because she wants her mother,”

“She saw the whole thing, Alexis,” Liam stood up from his chair and ran a hand through his daughter’s brown strands. “The last thing I want is to send my four year old daughter to a shrink but I’m starting to think I don’t really have a choice...”

“Allow me to be completely honest here, Liam,” Alexis started, “you haven’t left this hospital since the day of the accident except for the one day you went home to shower. Charlotte’s been staying with me since she was discharged three days ago and she’s recovering well but she wants her mother, Liam,” she explained. “We all need to be strong. She’s a child, she will focus more on out actions and emotions than on the words we tell her... but you look like a complete wreck, you’re barely awake and every time I come here you’re crying your eyes out. Charlotte’s picking up on these details and in her head, they mean that her mother won’t come back to her otherwise you would be so crushed,”

“I don’t know what to do anymore...” Liam admitted.

“There’s nothing you can do for Fallon right now, Liam, but your daughter is right here and she needs you,” Alexis told him. “It doesn’t matter how many times I tell her everything will be okay and that her mother will be with her real soon because she wants _you_ to tell her that,” she looked between him and the little girl in her arms. “I’m glad you chose me to stay with her during this time because a hospital is definitely not a place for a child to spend the night but I think you should leave this room for a couple of hours throughout the day to spend some time with her,” she suggested. “Look, it’s almost noon. Why don’t you go home, take a shower, eat something that you didn’t buy from a hospital’s vending machine and sleep for a few hours? Charlotte and I will keep an eye on Fallon but you need to take care of yourself, Liam. Charlotte needs you to be in one piece right now and Fallon will need you too when she wakes up,”

“I don’t know...” Liam murmured.

“Liam, you can’t live like this and you definitely can’t be the dad she needs right now if you keep up like this,” Alexis said honestly. “It’s not about you or even Fallon anymore. I know you’re devastated and broken but you need to suck it up and put on your bravest face so you can give Charlotte the support she needs right now,”

“Will you call me if anything changes?” Liam asked.

“Of course,” Alexis offered him a smile, “but at least try to focus on yourself for a few hours, Liam. You need the rest and actual food,”

**WEEK 2**

“Charlotte...” Fallon murmured. Her throat felt dry and she could swear there was barely any sound leaving her mouth. “Charlotte!” She tried to scream or even move but her body ached and hurt so much even turning her neck brought pain all over her.

It was the middle of the night and the ICU floor was silent, the only sound coming from the machines and the nurses walking back and forth out in the hallways. Liam was holding Fallon’s hand and his head was lying on the mattress right next to her hips when he started feeling a kind of movement he hadn’t seen in over a week.

“Fallon?” Liam sat up on the armchair and looked at her.

“Charlotte,” it was all Fallon could speak as she tried to look around the room in search for her daughter. “Where’s Charlotte?” Her voice was coming back, her tone becoming louder and showing more signs of panic and desperation.

“Fallon, stop moving,” Liam was trying to hold her down onto the mattress when he caught a nurse rushing into the room from the corner of his eye.

“Where’s my daughter?!” Fallon kicked her legs and tried to leave Liam’s grip when she couldn’t see her daughter anywhere. Shaking her head from right to left she continued to squirm and scream while calling for her daughter. “Charlotte!” She looked at Liam when he added more pressure to the hands that were keeping her shoulders on the mattress. As Liam stared into his eyes, he didn’t recognize his wife. Her eyes were filled with tears but they didn’t show any emotion. They looked dead as if she was staring at nothing while feeling completely numb. “Charlotte...” she repeated when the tears started to roll down her cheeks.

“She’s with Alexis,” Liam spoke as he watched the nurse push an extra dose of medicine in her veins, “but you need to stop moving, Fal,”

“I want my daughter!” Fallon screamed from the top of her lungs and the nurse turned at Liam with a disapproving look.

“I’m sorry,” Liam whispered at the nurse. “Fallon, you’re hurt and you went through a huge surgery. I will call Alexis and I will ask her to bring Charlotte but if you don’t stop moving you’ll be rushed back to surgery even before Charlotte can get here so _stop_ ,” he paused, “ _freaking_ ,” paused again, “ _moving_ ,” he raised his tone and threw her a serious look.

_One hour later..._

“I’m not answering a single question before I see my daughter,” Fallon raged when the doctor tried to ask her what year it was.

“Mommy!” Charlotte let go of Alexis’ hand and ran towards the bed as soon as she noticed her mother was awake and talking.

“Charlotte,” tears started streaming down Fallon’s cheeks as she finally laid her eyes on her healthy daughter and a smile appeared on her lips. The bed was slightly inclined so Fallon was almost in a sitting position when they walked into the room.

“Mommy!” Charlotte stared at Fallon’s right hand, the one resting on the mattress right next to the little girl, wondering if she could touch it. “You awake!” She exclaimed.

“Charlotte,” Fallon repeated.

“I’m here,” Charlotte offered her a smile in return. Her eyes were red and puffy from being woken up in the middle of the night and Fallon could tell she was still half asleep and a bit confused with what was going on.

“Mommy wants you to take her hand, princess,” Liam was standing right behind Charlotte when she noticed Fallon moving her fingers up. She was still weak and didn’t have enough strength to lift her arm off the mattress but she still tried to slide her hand towards her daughter.

“I’m here, mommy,” Charlotte held three of Fallon’s fingers gently in her small hand then leaned down to place a kiss on each one of them.

“We’re here, Fal,” Liam ran a hand through his wife’s hair. “We’re right here,”

“Put Charlotte on the bed with her, Liam,” Alexis took a step forward, standing beside Liam and encouraging him to do as she said with a hand on her son-in-law’s lower back. Walking around them, she approached Fallon’s bed and held her right arm with both hands. “Tell me if it hurts, Fallon,” she offered her daughter a smile before lifting her arm up.

Liam leaned forward, placing his hands on Charlotte’s waist before pulling her up. Turning her around, he sat the four year old on the hospital bed, adjusting her carefully against Fallon’s body while Alexis gently put her arm down, wrapping it around Charlotte’s small body.

“Careful, Charlie,” Alexis spoke when Charlotte turned her body towards Fallon and threw her right arm over her mother’s body. Fallon winced when the small cast hit her ribcage a bit too hard but could only tighten her grip on her daughter to bring her closer to her. “She’s okay, Fallon,” she reassured when she noticed her daughter running her right hand softly over Charlotte’s cast, “nothing but a broken wrist,”

“Is it okay if we ask you some questions now?” The doctor asked Fallon.

“Sure,” Fallon nodded.

“What’s your full name?” He began.

“Fallon Carrington Ridley,”

“Month and year?” he continued.

“February 2027,” she replied.

“Relationship with everyone in this room?”

“Daughter,” she caressed Charlotte’s hand before turning to Alexis, “mother and husband,” she glanced at Liam.

“How did you end up here?”

“Car accident,”

“Ask her something long term,” the doctor looked between Liam and Alexis.

“Where was our first fight after I came back to Atlanta?” Alexis started.

“In the manor’s pool,” the brunette rolled her eyes.

“What’s my real name?” Liam asked.

“Jack Lowden,” Fallon replied before turning her attention to the doctor. “Look, doctor, I remember everything and this family has already gone through one amnesia, alright? A lightning never strikes the same place twice so I think we’re done with these questions?”

“You should get some rest,” the doctor told Fallon. “You were quite agitated when you woke up and we gave you more morphine to help with the pain now that you’re awake,” he explained. “Your vitals are good, you seem to have no memory loss and you’re talking properly. Those are all good signs and they mean all you’ve suffered is physical damage,” he continued, “but you’re still in the ICU and unfortunately we can only allow one visitor to spend the night,”

“Charlotte,” Fallon spoke up before Alexis and Liam could even turn to each other.

“She’s only four,” Liam glanced at the doctor. “I should stay too if Charlotte is here,” he crossed his arms in front of his chest, “in case she’s hungry, wants to get down or go to the bathroom,”

“I’m sorry, Mister Ridley,” the doctor offered him an apologetically look, “only _one_ visitor is allowed,”

“I’m not letting her go,” Fallon tightened the grip on Charlotte, pulling as close as possible to her body even if her entire body hurt in the process, “no,” she murmured, shaking her head fast from one side to the other in total denial.

“I wanna stay with mommy,” Charlotte tightened her arm around Fallon’s body as if protecting her mother from the doctor.

“Fal, I can stay and Alexis will bring Charlotte first thing in the morning...” Liam suggested, covering her hand with his but Fallon didn’t even bother to reply, just continued to shake her head.

“I could have _lost_ my daughter in that freaking accident,” Fallon groaned. “I’m not letting her out of my sight and I certainly don’t care about hospital rules,”

“We can’t allow a minor to stay here alone, Mrs. Ridley,” he told her. “You’re a patient so you don’t count as a parent or a responsible adult,”

“Mommy!” Charlotte exclaimed in complaint, looking up at Fallon with tears in her eyes. In a moment of panic, realizing the doctor was probably going to send her home, she threw her broken arm around Fallon’s chest, pushing herself up on the bed while bringing her mother even closer to her.

“Careful, princess,” Fallon groaned. “Liam, help me,” she whispered, closing her eyes as another wave of pain ran down her body all the way to her toes.

“Baby, mommy’s hurt, remember?” Liam settled both hands on Charlotte’s sides and repositioned her against the right side of Fallon’s body. “Keep your arm down, okay?” He placed her arm back on Fallon’s stomach and leaned forward to give each of them a kiss. “Why don’t you run your fingers softly over mommy’s belly like she does when she puts you down to sleep?” He suggested and Charlotte quickly started doing it.

“Thank you,” Fallon whispered at Liam, her right hand playing with Charlotte’s brown strands.

“Alright, here’s the deal,” Alexis started, looking mainly at the doctor, “two visitors are allowed from 6AM to 10PM. It’s almost four in the morning and I believe we all just want to get some sleep while you probably have better things to do with your time than argue with my very stubborn daughter, Sir,” she rolled her eyes. “So why don’t you pretend there isn’t a four year old lying on that bed and let mother and daughter sleep together for the first time after all this mess?” She settled one hand on her hip and threw him a defiant look. “They survived a terrible car accident and they just want to hold each other. What’s so wrong with that?”

“The girl can stay,” the doctor nodded in defeat, “the nurses can keep an eye on her in case she needs something but you two can come back at _six_ ,” he looked between Alexis and Liam.

**WEEK 3**

“You need to talk to a therapist, Fal,” Liam spoke softly.

“No, I don’t,” Fallon rolled her eyes. She had been showing great signs of recovery and had already been transfered to a private room out of the ICU but the doctors wanted to keep an eye on her for a few more days before sending her home.

“Fal,” Liam insisted, looking at her with puppy eyes as he tried to get her on board with the idea, “the doctor recommended you at _least_ talk to someone after what you’ve experienced,”

“The doctor recommended I talk to someone about losing the baby,” Fallon countered, “not the accident itself,” she groaned.

“Which is almost as traumatizing for a woman than the car crash itself, Fallon,” Liam stood up from the couch and started pacing around the room. “Listen, it doesn’t have to be a frequent thing. Nobody is telling you to have one hour therapy sessions every week but the doctor did suggest you talk to someone about the accident and its consequences, that’s all,” he explained, trying to sound as compassionate and understanding as he could in spite of everything.

“Look, Liam,” Fallon ran a hand through her hair, “I don’t mean to sound heartless or cold here but how can you miss something you’ve never had?” She questioned.

“It’s a freaking baby we’re talking about, Fallon!” Liam exclaimed, probably a bit louder than he intended but he couldn’t help it. “ _Our_ baby,”

“I know it’s a baby, Liam! You don’t need to remind me every five minutes that not only was I pregnant but I also _lost_ the baby in the accident,” Fallon fired back, “but we didn’t know about it until it was gone and there’s nothing we can do about it so why do you want me to mourn and grieve it so bad? Isn’t it enough that I keep having nightmares about not being able to turn the car and the first driver just takes Charlotte from us?” It didn’t take long for the tears to start leaving her eyes and for the hiccups to begin.

“She was playing with her teddy bear and singing to that Olaf song,” she paused, “you know how she tilts her head to the sides back and forth when she’s singing and she was doing the same thing to the bear as if they were dancing together,” a smile appeared on her lips as she described one of the last times she looked at Charlotte before the car hit them. “You want me to grieve a baby I didn’t even know existed when all I can see when I close my eyes is that teddy bear flying across the car and the Olaf song stopping out of sudden as our little girl gets hit by a runaway car?!” Fallon shut her eyes even harder as a wave of pain ran through her body. She was supposed to be resting, not screaming and fighting with her husband but she had never done anything by the book anyway.

“Fal...” Liam tried to speak up but Fallon didn’t allow him to even start talking as she kept going.

The stress definitely wasn’t helping and it was probably causing her even more pain but Fallon just had to get that out of her chest. She knew how miserable Liam was about the entire situation and the miscarriage had only added more to his suffering.

“Tell me I’m a cold heartless bitch all you want but I don’t really care about the baby, Liam. Is it sad? Yes, it’s _very_ sad and I wish it didn’t have to be like this but it _is_ and I would do it all again if it meant saving Charlotte,” Fallon raised her tone, which didn’t really seem a wise choice considering the sharp pain she felt right on the scar from the surgery the minute she spoke those words out loud. “Even if I _knew_ about the pregnancy at the time, Liam, I still would have chosen Charlotte, no matter what. She’s the one here, with us, in the real world, calling us mommy and daddy every five minutes and being the wonderful little girl that she is,”

Fallon looked at him as he brought a hand to his mouth and shook his head. Liam kept pacing around the room and she could tell how much he wanted to cry but the tears just wouldn’t leave his eyes.

“Charlotte is the light in our lives that brings us more joy, happiness and love into our house than we you and I alone have ever brought on our own... she is my whole world and she will always be. Charlotte is probably the _one_ thing I’ve done right in my entire life, Liam. I could have _died_ in that freaking accident and I knew that when I turned the car around but I wasn’t going to let _anyone_ hurt my little girl,” she took a deep breath before extending her good arm towards Liam so he would go back to her side.

“Mommy!” Charlotte ran into the room, bypassing her father and going straight to her mother.

“Everything okay in here?” Alexis looked between the couple as both of them looked notoriously upset.

“Yeah, everything is fine,” Fallon ran her hand over her eyes in an attempt of getting rid of the tears as quick as possible so Charlotte wouldn’t notice them before turning towards the four year old. “I missed you, princess,”

“I missed you too, mommy,” Charlotte smiled brightly, “grandma said you still need to stay here for a few days so I brought you some company,”

Charlotte approached the bed and pulled the black bear from the shopping bag she was carrying. Fallon recognized the stuffed animal instantly. It was the bear Liam’s father had given him when he had his tonsils out at the age of five, the bear Liam had given her when she end up hospitalized from working too much and the bear they had given one year old Charlotte to sleep with one night when her fever spiked and they rushed her to the ER even though it was just an ordinary flu.

“You’re giving me Mr. Bear?” Fallon asked surprised.

“Charlie sleeps with him every night but this morning she decided to bring him to you,” Alexis told her.

“Are you sure, princess?”

“You can give it back to me when you get home, mommy,” Charlotte handed her the stuffed bear, “he will keep you safe ‘til then since they don’t let me sleep here,”

“A hospital is not a place for a child like you, Charlie,” Liam started, “which is why you’re staying with grandma until we can all go back home,”

“Thank you, baby,” Fallon offered her a smile, “but are you sure you can sleep without him? He is the family’s healing bear after all...”

“My arm doesn’t hurt that much anymore,” Charlotte told her, “you need him more than I do, mommy, and I have Olaf to keep the bad dreams away at night,” she turned around and pointed to the stuffed snowman Alexis’ had been carrying for her since the car so she could be in charge of the bear.

“Then I accept Mr. Bear,” Fallon smiled, reaching for the bear Charlotte was holding. “You want to keep me company so your dad can go get some lunch?”

“Can we watch Frozen?” Charlotte’s eyes sparkled in excitement.

“I might need a psychiatrist if I have to sit through that movie one more time,” Alexis groaned, rolling her eyes at how thrilled the four year old was about watching the Disney movie for the hundredth time.

“We know those two movies by heart already,” Liam laughed as he helped Charlotte get on the bed with Fallon, “it’s amazing how she wants to run around the house and drive us crazy all day but she can sit still for two hours even though she’s already watched them so many times,” he rolled his eyes before reaching for Fallon’s macbook and placing it on the small table connected to the bed.

“She’s been carrying that Olaf everywhere ever since Liam brought it to her from his last trip to New York,” Fallon giggled.

“He was so lucky I forgot him at the manor that night,” Charlotte commented, “he could have died...” she whispered, “just like my teddy bear,”

“You _two_ could have died, Charlotte,” Liam turned towards her, “a teddy bear we can replace,”

“I know, daddy,” Charlotte sighed, “but the poor bear was smashed against the window and lost all of its foam and I’m glad Olaf was safe and sound with grandpa,”

“Just like you’re glad that _you and mom_ are okay?” Liam questioned.

“Yes, daddy, we’re okay and so is Olaf,” she threw him a wide smile.

“Isn’t it weird that she was singing one of the songs when the accident happened and she still enjoys watching it?” Alexis mentioned while approaching the bed. “Here, baby,” she handed her the snowman, which Charlotte quickly settled in between her and her mother.

“The movie, the songs and even the characters... they still mean something to her,” Liam responded. “It calms her down for some reason even after something bad like this happens. Maybe it brings her hope that everything will be just fine at the end,”

“I’m just glad she has something to keep her mind busy...” Fallon placed a soft kiss on the top of her daughter’s head. “Even if it means having to watch those movies every single day,” she laughed.

“Yeah, well, Jeff and I can sing all of those songs by now and I’m not even sure that’s a good thing,” Alexis rolled her eyes. The two adults could only laugh at her complaint but Charlotte was more interested on the familiar snowman showing up on the screen as Liam pressed play on the movie.

“Go home, babe,” Fallon wrapped her arm around Charlotte then looked up at him, “I don’t want you eating that weird food from the cafeteria...”

“Could you bring us some doughnuts when you come back?” Charlotte offered him an adorable smile and the typical puppy eyes she used every time she wanted something.

“What did Charlotte have for lunch, Alexis?” Liam turned towards his mother-in-law.

“A large piece of salmon, two cobs of sweet corn, mashed potatoes and broccoli,” Alexis described, “I was very generous and she ate everything,”

“See?” Charlotte stared at her father. “Your daughter deserves doughnuts,”

“Yeah, daddy, I think she does,” Fallon added.

“I think we could all use some doughnuts,” Alexis looked at him.

“Where should I get those doughnuts, if I might ask?”

“Krispy Kreme,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh when the three girls replied at the exact same time while rolling their eyes at him.

“Okay, okay,” Liam raised his hands up in the air admitting defeat, “I can handle one eye roll but three generations at the same time is just mean,” he groaned.

“We just want some doughnuts, daddy,” Charlotte shrugged.

“Okay, Miss Ridley,” Liam replied, “chocolate iced with sprinkles for Charlie and strawberry for Fallon... which one would you like, Alexis?”

“The original glazed, please,”

“Perfect,” Liam smiled, “I will head home for lunch and a quick shower so I should be back in a couple of hours,” he told them, “hopefully right after Frozen ends,” he whispered at Alexis before walking out of the room.

**WEEK 4**

“I recommend staying in bed as much as you can,” the doctor started. “You’ll keep the cast for a couple more weeks, when we will replace it with orthopedic boots, but if you feel you can walk short distances by yourself like going to to the bathroom or getting something from the closet, you can. As long as you don’t push yourself into doing something your body clearly can’t handle, you should be fine,” he offered her a smile.

“Can I work?” Fallon asked.

“If you can work from home, I suppose you can, but my advice would be only a few hours a day considering you’re still taking a lot of medication and it’s expected to feel off and tired,” he explained.

“She doesn’t really need to go back right away,” Liam spoke up.

“I haven’t worked in a month!” Fallon countered.

“The company is doing just fine, Fallon,” Liam replied, “and it will continue to be fine when you’re ready to go back and focus one hundred percent again,”

“Absolutely no alcohol until you’re at least two weeks off the heavy medication,” the doctor continued, “and no strenuous activities for at least another month, which includes sex,” he looked between the couple. “Even if you’re feeling good and you feel like doing it, _don’t_ ,” he spoke firmly, “just like practicing sports, having sex increases the heart rate and elevates the blood pressure which is exactly what you _don’t_ need right now to recover, okay?”

“I understand, yeah,” Fallon nodded.

“You’ve already had your two weeks and one month follow-up with your gynecologist and she determined there’s no tissue left in your uterus,” he told her, “which means that everything in there is like it should be but due to the stress and hormonal doses, just remember that your next period might not come at the usual date and that’s perfectly okay so don’t get worried if it takes a while,” he explained. “You shouldn’t have sex for another month but your period might be irregular for a while so even after you resume your activities, you should be careful about an unwanted pregnancy specially considering your gynecologist recommended that you stay off the pill for a while,”

“She told me that my uterus wasn’t harmed in any way in spite of the miscarriage but can you be sure than I still have kids?” Fallon questioned him. “Are you certain of that?” She asked the general doctor.

“We don’t see any signs that you can’t, Fallon,” he replied, “your uterus healed properly, there are no signs of infection or anything that could prevent you from carrying another child,” he explained. “You’re young and you’re healthy so it shouldn’t be a problem but your body has gone through a lot this past month so if having another child is something that you both want, my recommendation would be to wait a few more months until your body is fully recovered,”

“How long?” Fallon asked and Liam turned his attention away from the doctor for a moment to focus on his wife. _What did that question mean?_ He wondered. They hadn’t talked about a second child in a while even though they joked about it quite a lot. _Does Fallon want another baby?_ He asked himself, still a bit confused.

“I would say six months to a year?” He started, “but bodies recover differently so you might know that answer better than I will. I’m just the general assigned to your case, Fallon, but I’m sure your gynecologist will be able to give you more specific details about it and she’s been your doctor for decades now. She knows everything you’ve been through so if you have any questions about sex, a possible pregnancy and that kind of stuff, I’m sure she will be all ears,” he offered her a smile.

“Thank you very much, doctor,” Liam shook his hand.

“If there’s anything else I can help with, don’t hesitate to ask,” he gave them a slight nod before stepping out of the room to give them privacy.

“No work and no sex for _another_ month?” Liam teased Fallon as soon as the door was closed. “I should get a _trophy_ for that,”

“Keep saying things like that and I will double the time without sex,” Fallon shot him a glare.

“Yeah, right,” Liam rolled his eyes as he finished packing her clothes into the Gucci suitcase, “like you’ll be able to resist me for two more months after not getting any for the past two,”

“Sounds like a challenge...” Fallon turned the game against him.

“One that you’re not going to take,” Liam offered her one hand so he could help her stand up from the bed.

“I’m not using that,” Fallon pointed to the wheelchair.

“Yes you are and we’re not going to argue about it,” Liam simply informed her. “You’re going home, Fal, that’s what matters,”

* * *

“I have one more thing for you, Charlotte,” Alexis informed. “I will go get it so just wait right here, alright?” The four year old nodded but couldn’t contain her excitement even after her grandmother left the room.

“You‘ve been living with grandma for the past whole month and you only proved me what an wonderful girl you are,” Alexis spoke when she stepped back into the room but stood by the door instead of walking further inside. “You behaved well and you were a great friend to your grandmother even though you made me watch Frozen every single day,” she laughed and the little girl blushed at the comment, “but mommy and daddy are back home now so you can come home as well and I got you this so you can have a great memory from the time you spent with grandma even under the tough circunmstances,” she took a step back and reached for the gift.

“Oh my god!” Fallon exclaimed.

“That’s a-“ Liam’s eyes widened at the sight of the 3 feet tall Olaf in Alexis’ hands.

“It’s a,” Charlotte paused as her eyes flooded with tears. She looked between Alexis and the snowman that was only a few inches smaller than her before throwing herself into her grandmother’s arms.

Liam wrapped an arm around Fallon as they watched the scene unfold right in front of them. Alexis hugged Charlotte tightly, the stuffed snowman stuck between them as the four year old searched for words to thank her grandmother but she let go of her before she could say any word. Running towards the suitcase that was still next to Fallon’s, she opened the zipper and pulled the small Olaf from between her clothes.

“This is for you,” Charlotte handed Alexis the toy she had been sleeping with every night for months.

“Thank you, baby,” Alexis pulled her into another hug, placing a few kisses on the top of her head. “I had a really good time with you,”

“Me too, grandma,” Charlotte spoke softly.

“Let’s just make sure next time you stay with me it’s not because any of you got in trouble, alright?” She looked between the three Ridleys.

“I promise,” Fallon laughed.

“Alright,” Alexis stood up from the floor and reached for her handbag, “maybe next time you stay with me we can fly to Norway and look for Olaf?” She looked at Charlotte. “What do you say?”

“You really mean that?” Charlotte’s eyes sparkled in joy.

“Of course,” Alexis offered her a smile. “Just make sure your passport is valid and I will get your parents to sign an authorization allowing me to travel out of the country with you,” she whispered at Charlotte fully aware that Fallon and Liam could still hear her, “but now you should go enjoy your parents, okay?”

“Thank you, grandma,” Charlotte hugged her legs.

“If you need anything, just call me,” Alexis looked at the couple before exiting the room.

Liam had already helped Fallon get comfortable under the blankets but in a sitting up position with her back leaning against the headboard. Charlotte threw one arm around Olaf and dragged him towards the bed, placing him on the mattress before Liam pulled her up and carried her to the pillows.

“I think it’s time for Frozen 2, don’t you think?” Fallon asked Charlotte once they were all settled on the bed. Liam on his side, Fallon on hers while Charlotte and Olaf lied between them and Daisy rested on the foot of the bed.

“Yes!” Charlotte exclaimed, snuggling against Fallon’s body as she enveloped her daughter in a warm embrace.

 _“Again? Really?”_ Liam complained. “Can’t we watch something else tonight? You love Tangled... or maybe Brave?” She suggested but Charlotte didn’t seemed amused. “I’ve heard Monsters Inc is still a classic,” he tried.

“We’re watching _Frozen_ , daddy,” Charlotte rolled her eyes, “we can watch those tomorrow,”

“After we watch this one again for the thousandth time?” Liam asked.

“You’re catching up fast, babe,” Fallon teased him.

“I understand when you boss me around but when did she start giving us orders?” Liam shook his head, adjusting himself against his pillow in search for a more comfortable position.

“I’m sorry to tell you this but the day she was born seems pretty accurate to me,” Fallon replied.

“Don’t I get a hug?” Liam pouted when Charlotte laid her head on Fallon and rested her cast covered arm on her mother’s stomach.

“You can hug Olaf,” Charlotte murmured, staring at the TV across the room as the movie started, “mommy’s mine,” she added.

“Okay, Mr. Snowman,” Liam wrapped his arm around the stuffed snowman, “looks like it’s just you and me tonight, buddy,” he groaned.

“Mommy, is my passport still valid?” Charlotte lifted her face off Fallon’s chest and looked up at her.

“I believe so, baby, why?” Fallon asked pretending she hadn’t heard her and Alexis’ secret.

“Grandma is taking me to Norway to meet the real Olaf,” Charlotte whispered in her ear.

**ONE YEAR LATER**

“Fallon, be careful!” Liam screamed from the porch. He was sitting on the armchair closest to the fireplace, wrapped in a warm blanket while reading a book and nursing a glass of his favorite Merlot.

While he remained warm and cozy under the roof of the large porch at the back of the cabin and only a few feet away from the fireplace, his favorite girls were running around in the snowy backyard. They had bought the cabin that past summer, once both Fallon and Charlotte were totally recovered from the accident. The cabin was a couple of hours north of Atlanta and it was the perfect place for either a romantic or a family getaway and that was exactly what they needed.

Charlotte looked like a pink marshmallow as she tried to move her feet in what was probably around six inches of fresh snow from the past night’s heavy storm. She was wearing her favorite fuchsia ski suit with the light pink Dior moonboots Fallon had gotten her specifically for that trip, with fur around the calves and two slightly darker fluffy pom poms hanging from the lace.

She had insisted on wearing her ski suit but they had chosen not to argue about it since she looked like the most adorable five year old. The snow gloves and beanie were also pink Liam could only laugh at his daughter’s choice of outfit. She was clearly going through a pink phase and everything had to have pink in it, from her cutlery to her clothes, otherwise she wouldn’t care at all about it.

Taking a sip of his wine, he watched when Fallon stopped running, pretending she was tired and out of breath so Charlotte would stop running from her. The five year old had been yelling for Fallon to catch her for the past fifteen minutes while Olaf remained unfinished next to the playground’s slide.

“What do you say we finish Mr. Olaf here and go get warm with daddy?” Fallon suggested, picking up the small plastic bag Charlotte had labelled “Olaf’s Items” two winters back.

“Okay!” Charlotte exclaimed, jumping towards her mother in excitement.

“Arms,” Fallon handed her the two wood sticks and watched as Charlotte placed them carefully on each side of his body. “Rocks for the body,” she held the three black rocks in her hands while Charlotte reached for them, one at a time, before decorating the snowman.

“You got a new carrot, right?” Charlotte asked as she placed some other items on him.

“Of course, Charlie,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh, “a carrot doesn’t really last all year,”

“I _know_ ,” Charlotte rolled her eyes, “that’s why I asked,”

“ _New_ carrot,” Fallon specified while passing the vegetable over to her daughter, “that daddy bought _last week_ ,”

“Perfect,” Charlotte clapped her hands once Olaf was ready, “ _now_ we have a full house,”

“Can we go lie down by the fireplace now, princess?” Fallon asked. “I don’t think I can feel my toes,”

“Okay, mommy,” Charlotte nodded.

“First to get to daddy gets ice cream for dinner!” Fallon screamed before running back towards the porch.

“That’s not fair!” Charlotte yelled, trying to reach her mother but she was still a few feet behind, “Olaf was in front of me!” She tried to run faster but Fallon arrived first, heading towards Liam as soon as she reached the wooden floor.

“You two were having quite some fun, hun?” Liam lifted the blanket from his body so Fallon could sit with him on the large armchair. “How is our little one?” He asked while sliding his hand under Fallon’s snow jacket.

“She seems to be moving a lot today,” Fallon smiled, “but you probably can’t feel anything yet,” she spoke as he moved his hands softly over her twenty weeks bump.

“She probably wanted to play with you two,” Liam laughed. “I can’t wait to feel her too,”

“You will soon, babe,” Fallon leaned forward, giving him a quick but meaningful peck on the lips.

"Charlotte! Watch where you step!" Liam screamed when Charlotte fell front first on the snow after tripping on her own boots.

"If she's anything like her sister, it won't take long for her to want to be noticed," Fallon laughed, watching Charlotte carefully to make sure she got back on her feet.

"Let's try to make this one more like her daddy, okay?" Liam suggested.

"Let's hope your DNA managed to beat mine this time then," Fallon teased him.

“That was not fair, Mrs. Ridley!” Charlotte pointed her index at Fallon when she reached the porch very out of breath and still covered in snow. “You _clearly_ had advantage from where you were standing and I wasn’t prepared to race you!” She rambled. “Which means you _cheated_ so your victory is _not_ valid,” she stood in front of them and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“She _has_ a point,” Liam looked at Fallon.

“Okay, okay, I admit defeat,” Fallon raised her hands up.

“Thank you very much,” Charlotte climbed on the other armchair by the fireplace before she noticed it didn’t look as comfortable as her parents’. “Why don’t I have a blanket and a drink?” She tilted her head at them.

“Because you wanted to play in the snow,” Liam replied nonchalanthy, his hand still caressing Fallon’s bump, “I believe you said that sitting next to the fire and doing nothing was the most boring activity. Your words,”

“I am _five_!” Charlotte exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air in annoyance. “What do _I_ know about life?” She added.

“You seem to know a lot when you’re trying to sound like your mother,” Liam teased her.

“So...” Charlotte murmured.

“So...” Liam repeated, using her own voice tone against her.

“Are you going to get me a blanket and a drink?” Charlotte asked her father.

“I’m very comfortable here with mommy, to be honest,” Liam wrapped his arm around Fallon, bringing her closer to him before placing a soft kiss on her cheek, “and like you said, you’re five, which means you’re old enough to walk that pretty pink marshmallow body into the house to get yourself a blanket,”

“Is there anything _else_ I should get from the house, Mr. and Mrs. Ridley?” Charlotte jumped off the armchair, placed her hands on her hips and looked at her parents.

“I could use some Lays,” Liam replied.

“I could use some ice cream,” Fallon began, “and marshmallows,” she added, “maybe some peanut butter and grapes too,”

“You’re kidding, right?” She glanced between them.

“You know what happens when mommy gets cravings...” Fallon started.

“You stop whatever you’re doing and you get mommy what she wants,” Charlotte and Liam spoke at the same time, almost as if they had rehearsed the answer.


	9. Chocolate And Bunnies

“Good morning, princess,” Liam spoke softly while approaching the write crib. Charlotte was standing up, gripping tightly onto the top wooden bar and jumping on the mattress, “someone’s in a good mood,” he giggled, leaning forward to give her an eskimo kiss.

“Dada,” Charlotte let out a loud adorable laugh then started jumping again.

Placing both of his hands on the crib, Liam took a few minutes to watch her in complete awe. Her eyes were still puffy and a but red from sleep and brown hair was a mess, the strands pointing in every possible direction and flying everywhere as she jumped.

It was still early but the two year old had obviously woken up in a good mood, much to Liam’s surprise considering Charlotte usually joined her mother in a grumpy and cranky morning mood. In order to make her even happier,  Liam started making funny faces at her and it only made Charlotte laugh even louder. 

She wore the yellow bunny pajamas they had bought specially for that weekend and as she jumped up and down on the mattress, her pants began to fall, sliding down her diaper and Liam couldn’t help but laugh.

“You’re so adorable,” Liam giggled before taking her in his arms, “are you ready for your first easter egg hunt, princess?” He asked, placing her carefully on the changing table.

As Charlotte lied down, Liam handed her one of the stuffed animals they kept near the table to keep her entertained. She waved the small giraffe at him, singing one of the lullabies Fallon sang to her every night before putting her down to sleep.

“Did you know the easter bunny was here?” Liam’s eyes widened in surprise as he spoke in excitement, “I saw footprints all over the hallway on my way here,” he reached for the baby lotion on the top shelf and squeezed a small portion of it in his hand, “and I’m pretty sure he left you some eggs too,” he applied the lotion against her skin, tickling the inside of her upper thighs in the way he knew she loved and it only took a second for her laugh to fill the room again.

“You’re so ticklish, aren’t you?” Leaning forward, he pushed the top of her pajamas up and opened his mouth wide at her, pretending he was going to playfully attack her before he started blowing kisses all over her tummy. “Yes, you are,” he giggled, his mouth making all kind of noises against her belly as she kicked her legs and continued to laugh at him.

As Charlotte squirmed on the table and shook her arms, trying to figure out a way to escape from her father’s tickling fingers, the small giraffe fell from her hand and ended up on the floor next to his feet. 

“Dada! Stop!” Charlotte begged.

Turning her body slightly to the left, she tried to look at the floor to find her toy but Liam held her still before she could roll over the changing table. Charlotte was getting bigger and heavier every day and if they weren’t careful, she would get away from them in the blink of an eye.

“But you’re so adorable,” Liam murmured, moving up her body while placing kisses all over her, “you’re so cute that I just want to bite you,” he paused, tickling her sides with his fingers, “argh,” he buried his head in her neck, pretending he was attacking her like a tiger.

“Dada!” He raised his head off her neck and caught her staring right up at him, her eyes sparkling and her lips in a wide and bright smile, “no mowe,” she added.

“Daddy loves you so much, princess,” Liam squeezed her cheeks gently before giving her a loud and wet smack on the soft pink skin of the right one, “yes, he does,” he chuckled.

Finally allowing the two year old to breath, Liam returned to his task of changing his daughter but not before giving Charlotte a couple more kisses. Her skin tone was as white as Fallon’s but at that moment, her face was turning different shades of pink due to all the laughing and tickling and Liam made sure to cover her rosé cheeks with plenty of smacks.

“Stay still, princess,” keeping one hand on her stomach, Liam crouched down on the floor and reached for the stuffed animal. “You want your giraffe?” He waved the toy in front of her and she nodded, extending her arm all the way up as she tried to get it from him but in a quick move, he threw his arm backwards seconds before she could reach the stuffed animal.

”Mine,” Charlotte told him, “daddy,” she frowned, clearly not amused with his current choice of entertainment, “mine,”

“So bossy,” Liam rolled his eyes, “mommy will be so proud,” he giggled, “but daddy loves teasing you because that laugh is my favorite sound in the whole word, you know?”

Liam held the giraffe above her face, only a few inches high so she could reach for it easily but as soon as she raised her arms, he crashed the stuffed animal gently against her face. He squeezed and rubbed the giraffe softly against her cheeks and forehead for a couple of minutes before holding it above her again.

”I think she likes kissing you as much as I do,” Liam spoke but the glare and frown Charlotte threw him was enough for him to know better than to keep teasing her. If he had learnt anything from his wife was to always stop teasing whenever he got that scary look and to be honest, Charlotte’s seemed a lot more terrifying than her mother’s.

”Mad, daddy,” Charlotte groaned before finally getting her giraffe back.

As she wrapped her arms tightly against the stuffed animal, keeping it safe against her chest, Liam reached for a diaper on the shelf and finished her up before closing the fresh clean diaper around her waist.

“Clean diaper, pants back on,” Liam dressed her in the bunny pajama pants then pulled her up to a sitting position, “we just need the final touch,” he reached for the small red brush on the shelf and ran it delicately through her hair. Splitting her brown strands in two, he pulled each half up in a pigtail using the orange scrunchies with small white bunnies. “Now you’re ready for your first easter hunt, princess,” he smiled widely before giving her another kiss on the cheek, “which means it’s time to wake mommy up from her beauty sleep,”

* * *

“What happened out here?” Fallon gasped in surprise when they stepped out of the master bedroom and she noticed the bunny footprints on the floor. There were traces of grass and dirt near the cute colorful footprints and she even noticed a few pieces of carrots scattered around the hallway, leading towards the stairs.

“Bunny!” Charlotte jumped in excitement.

“Apprently the Easter bunny left Charlotte a few eggs around the house,” Liam threw Fallon a serious look.

“Have you been drinking?” Fallon leaned closer to him and whispered in his ear.

“It’s nine o’clock, Fallon,” Liam whispered back, “and I believe he told me that Charlotte is gonna love the surprises he hid in them!” He turned towards the two year old, who started pulling him by his hand to follow the footprints.

“And we’re supposed to search for these hidden eggs?” Fallon questioned.

“Yes!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Bunny,” she pointed her index finger at one of the blue prints and looked up at Fallon, “mama,” she spoke softly, “bunny,”

“You’re right, princess, the bunny  was here!” Fallon told her. “He didn’t clean his paws before entering the house and stepped on my thousands of dollars wooden floor with grass and dirt from the backyard on them just so you could follow his footprints,” she groaned, “ouch!” She complained when Liam nudged her in the ribs.

“Why don’t you lead the way, princess?” Liam suggested.

“Do you think there’s a chance this first egg has coffee in it?” Fallon whispered in his ear as they walked down the hallway.

“Daddy!” Charlotte let go of his hands and threw herself on the floor when she found a large box at the entrance of one of the guest rooms.

“What’s that, Charlie?” Liam asked as if he was just as suprised as her about the present.

“Mommy will help you, princess,” Fallon untied the large pink bowl on the top of the box and the four paper walls fell down, revealing a small pink plastic basket with one white plastic egg sitting right in the middle. “Oh my god, you found it!” She exclaimed.

_“Supwise,”_ Charlotte clapped her hands before reaching for the egg.

“Like this,” Liam covered her small hands with hers and showed her how to pop the egg open. “Wow!” He gasped when the two white chocolate Lindor truffles fell in her hand.

“Chocolate!” Charlotte screamed.

“The magical chocolate factory of the easter bunnies seems to be doing quite well if they’re giving away Lindt,” Fallon crossed her arms against her chest.

“Why don’t you keep them inside the basket so you can eat all of them together after the hunt?” Liam suggested, choosing to ignore Fallon’s comment. Charlotte nodded, placing the egg and the two truffles carefully inside the basket before standing up. “Where to next, princess?” He asked.

Charlotte wrapped her tiny fingers around the handle and resumed walking, watching the floor for more footprints until she reached the stairs and found a blue egg sitting right in front of the baby gate.

“Open,” Charlotte offered the egg to Fallon.

“Daddy just thought you how to open, Charlie,” Fallon held her hands in her own, twisting the top half with her daughter’s tiny hand until her eyes caught the two dark chocolate Lindor truffles.

“Thank you,” she offered her mother a wide smile before placing them inside her basket, “down,” she gestured to the stairs when she realized there were footprints on some of the steps.

“Daddy can carry your basket for you,” Fallon picked Charlotte up in her arms and started walking down the stairs while Liam followed right behind.

“Mommy,” Charlotte touched her cheek softly, _“thewe!”_ She pointed at the red egg sitting against the wall on the last step.

Fallon unlocked the second baby gate then placed Charlotte back on her feet. Holding the gate open, she waited for Liam to join them on the first floor then gestured for Charlotte to reach for the third egg.

“ _Mowe_ chocolate...” Charlotte sang as she opened the egg all by herself and placed the two milk chocolate truffles inside the basket.

“You matched the color of the truffles to the eggs,” Fallon whispered at her husband, “how long have you been planning this?”

“Our daughter deserves the best, Fallon,” Liam told her.

“You could have hidden m&m’s in there... they would match the color of the eggs too, you know?” Fallon mentioned. “You’re giving her Lindt truffles so I kind of figured from the first egg that you didn’t prepre anything  less than the best easter hunt,”

Walking into the piano room, Charlotte found the pink egg sitting right beneath the large black piano. Crawling under the musical instrument, she opened the plastic egg and found two strawberries and cream truffles.

In the living room, not only did she found a green egg with mint milk chocolate truffles inside it by the fireplace and a light blue egg with stracciatella white chocolate truffles in it next to one of the lamps.

Following the bunny’s footprints into the kitchen, Charlotte spotted the orange egg sitting right on the middle of the corner table. Running towards the round table, she climbed onto on of the chairs before leaning over the oak wood to reach for her egg.

_“Cawamel,”_ she instantly recognized one of her favorite milk chocolate truffles.

“You better stop giving her chocolate if you want to sleep tonight,” Fallon turned towards Liam.

Charlotte walked back to her parents and placed her newest find inside her basket. Sitting on the floor, she took a couple of minutes to slide all the open eggs to the left while separating all the chocolates truffles to the right. 

Liam wrapped one arm around Fallon, both of them leaning back against the wall as they watched Charlotte organize her basket. Fallon leaned her head against him, wrapping both of her arms around his body before placing a soft kiss on his muscled upper arm. Both of them had wide smiles on their lips, staring at their daughter in complete awe.

“Did you see there are still a few footprints there, princess?” Liam pointed towards the door that led to the backyard.

“Chocolate!” Charlotte stood up from the floor right away but left her basket behind as she ran towards the door. “Open, open!” She hit the door with her fists.

“You need to turn the knob, Charlotte,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh at her daughter’s desperation and anxiety to get to the other side of the door. “Oh,” her jaw fell on the floor when she opened the door, “my,” Fallon paused, still trying to find words to describe the scene in front of her “god,”

There were stuffed bunnies all over Charlotte’s playground in all kinds of sizes and colors and every single one had a tiny basket filled with chocolate Lindor eggs in front of them. Just like the plastic eggs and the truffles, the chocolate eggs matched the colors of the bunnies perfectly.

There were two large bunnies on the swings but the largest stuffed bunny was sitting inside the small wooden house with chocolate eggs of all colors all around him, covering the small house’s floor.

On the trampoline, there were probably dozens of the classic Lindt easter golden bunnies. Fallon could spot four 7oz bunnies, probably six 3.5oz bunnies but she could swear there were more than twenty or even thirty 1.7oz bunnies.

“Chocolate!” Charlotte screamed while running towards the bunnies and the chocolate. “Bunnies!” She jumped on the trampoline through the small opening in the net, bouncing on the elastic surface along with all of the chocolate golden bunnies.

“Liam, would you care to enlighten me on what exactly is going on here?” Fallon asked.

“Chocolate bunny,” they heard Charlotte sing as she opened one of the golden bunnies and bit his ears off. “Mhmm,” she closed her eyes when she tasted the chocolate.

Lying on her stomach, Charlotte carefully slid off the trampoline, waiting until her feet to touch the floor before letting go of the net, just like her parents had taught her. As soon as she was back on the grass, Charlotte started running around the backyard, try to grab as many buckets of chocolate eggs as she could even though she was dropping most of them on the floor during her run.

“She looks so happy,” Fallon looked at him, “you’re the best dad ever, Liam,” she pulled him in for a quick kiss before returning her attention to her daughter. “When did you get all this done?” She asked, wrapping one arm around his waist.

“I might have woken up at four to get everything ready and perfect,” Liam replied.

“It really is perfect, Liam,” Fallon smiled, “but we better help her get all that chocolate and all those bunnies,”

“We do,” Liam laughed, “but I think we might need something bigger than Charlotte’s basket,”

“You _think_?” Fallon teased him.

“But before we help Charlotte,” Liam headed back into the kitchen and opened one of the bottom cabinets, retrieving the large basket he had hidden in there the night before, “this one is yours,” he spoke while walking through the door.

“What?” Fallon threw him a confused look as she accepted the basket from him.

Inside the basket, she found ten red roses, a bottle of her favorite champagne, a bottle of her favorite scotch, two 7oz Lindt golden bunnies, a Godiva assorted chocolate gift box and a box of a dozen dark chocolate dipped strawberries also from Godiva. For its final touch, there were chocolate Lindor eggs - like the ones Charlotte had gotten - all over the basket to give it a colorful look.

“Perfect dad, perfect husband,” Fallon placed the basket down on one of the porch’s armchairs then took a step towards Liam. Wrapping both of her arms around his neck, she pushed herself on her tiptoes and kissed him passionately. “What did I do to deserve you?” She asked between kisses.

“I love you, babe,” Liam whispered softly against her lips, “and as much as I would love to keep kissing you like this, our two year old is running like crazy around the background while eating an enormous amount of chocolate,” he laughed.

“When she stays up all night on a sugar rush just remember that you’re the who got her the entire Lindt store,” Fallon teased him.

“Mommy!” Charlotte screamed. “Come, mommy!” She waved her right hand at Fallon while offering her mother a bright and wide smile.

“Oh my god,” Fallon ran a hand through her hair when she noticed the melted chocolate all over Charlotte’s hand and face, “go get a bucket,” she told him, “I better get our little one before she has a chocolate overdose,”


	10. Life With A Newborn

Night had just fallen when Liam drove the black Tesla into the garage behind their house, parking it right next to the red Porsche before pushing the button on the tiny remote to close the iron door.

Having been in and out of meetings all afternoon, Liam was desperate to get home, take a warm shower and cuddle in bed with his girls. When he accepted the offer to write short stories for a publishing company that was just starting to hit the market, he didn’t think it would involve attending so many meetings and discussing his ideas with the team responsible for the company’s content. He had the liberty to write the stories how he saw fit and as long as he met the deadlines estipulated by the company and attended the usual Wednesday’s meetings, he could write wherever and whenever he wanted.

Paula, the housecleaner, was searching for her keys at the entrance hall when Liam pushed the front door open, almost hitting her in the process.

“Oh I’m sorry,” he apologized right away.

“Don’t worry about it. I was just looking for my keys,” she replied.

“Have a good evening, Paula,” Liam offered her a smile while holding the door open for her.

“You too,” she nodded before heading for the car parked right in front of the house.

Locking the door behind him, Liam threw his keys inside the copper bowl on the small table by the door before hanging his jacket and discarding his shoes. He stayed home most days and besides spending most of every Wednesday out, he only went out for the usual groceries, drugstore and of course, his daily morning run, but arriving home at the end of the day to the fresh scent of lavender around the house and the knowledge that his girls were upstairs just waiting for him was everything he needed. It brought him comfort and serenity as he could finally relax and focus on the roles he loved the most; husband and father.

Liam made a quick stop at the kitchen to leave the two paper bags of chinese food on the counter before making his way towards the stairs. The soft yellow lights on the wall by the stairs were on but the second floor was dark and quiet, the only illumination coming from the lights of Fallon’s office at the end of the hallway. He could hear her voice but the distance didn’t really allow him to understand what exactly she was saying.

Approaching the room slowly, he stopped at the threshold when he noticed what was happening in there. Fallon was sitting at her desk with her laptop open in front of her, a mug of what he could only assume was tea in her left hand and near her lips - considering her left elbow rested on the wooden desk - and a pen in her right hand as she wrote down notes on her yellow pad.

Her iPhone was sitting between her shoulder and ear as she talked through the things Allison needed to finish that week while gently moving Charlotte’s stroller back and forth with one of her feet. The three month old baby was sleeping soundly in the bassinet, covered by her thin but warm yellow blanket and both of her arms up, her tiny hands closed almost in fists and resting on each side of her head.

Leaning against the threshold, Liam crossed his arms in front of his chest and took a moment to just admire them. Fallon was still on maternity leave - theoretically as she pointed out every single day - but the business woman inside of her always managed to speak louder. No matter how much Liam insisted she focused solely on their daughter, Fallon always countered that she could do both so it wasn’t a suprise for him when he got home and found her like that, instructing her assistant in what she needed to prepare for the week while doing her usual multitasking.

He could see files, drafts and possible magazine covers spread all over the large desk, an empty plate with tiny cookie crumbles still on it and an empty bowl he could only guess was from the fruit salad he had asked Carol, their cook, to prepare in the middle of the afternoon for his wife, meaning that she had been working for hours.

Fallon looked up from the yellow pad as soon as she smelled the familiar scent of his cologne in the room, offering her a warm and welcoming smile when she caught him standing by the door. Walking further into the room, Liam noticed the eletric breast pump on the far left of the table and rolled his eyes when he realized it was still dirty with milk. She would use the item and walk all the way to the kitchen to store the bottles of milk in the fridge but for some reason she would always leave it for him to clean. Rounding the desk, he placed a soft kiss on the top of her head before leaning against the wooden cabinet behind her chair. While he waited for Fallon to finish her call, he watched his baby girl sleep, smiling at how peaceful she looked as her chest moved up and down with her soft breathing.

“Let me know if you need any help,” Fallon told her, “okay, bye,” she added before taking the phone in one hand and ending the call.

“Are you training new assistants for when you promote Allison?” Liam tilted his head towards the stroller.

“ _Assistant?_ ” Fallon shot him a look of disapproval. “Please, my baby girl is heading for the CEO position,” she rolled her eyes, “besides, Allison is nowhere near ready for a promotion,”

“The girl is putting all of her blood and sweat in this company, babe,” Liam placed his hands on Fallon’s shoulders, starting a gentle and relaxing massage to relieve the tension in her muscles. “She’s handling at least 70% of your tasks while you focus on your daughter. Just think about it, okay?”

“Fine,” Fallon sighed and a considerably loud moan escaped her lips when Liam added more pressure to his fingers.

“Haven’t heard that one in a while,” Liam laughed, tightening the grip of his fingers on her skin to elicit another satisfying response from his wife while pressing his thumb hard against her back to work on the few knots he had found there.

“It’s like she _knows_ when we’re taking our clothes off and she starts crying before we can even start making out properly,” Fallon rolled her eyes while settling one hand on the stroller to pull it closer to them.

“Some people believe that babies cry at night to prevent their parents from having another baby and therefore to increase their chances of survival,” Liam commented.

“I believe Charlotte is just messing with us,” Fallon shrugged, “she clearly wants us all to herself and apparently mommy and daddy alone time is forbidden,” she turned her head towards their daughter and none of them said anything for the next few minutes, taking that time to just enjoy watching their little one sleep.

“Three months old and she’s already getting every single thing she wants at the time _she_ sees fit,” Liam ran a hand through his hair. “It looks like the world just got another Carrington,”

“ _Please,_ ” Fallon mocked him, “if I got everything I wanted at the time I see fit, _we_ wouldn’t be in this room, _you_ wouldn’t be talking and we _definitely_ wouldn’t be wearing clothes,” she rolled her eyes.

“Hate to tell you this, Fal, but you lost that power when you brought her into this world,” he leaned forward to place another kiss on her head.

“I waived my sleeping rights for her, I feed her whenever she wants, I change her diaper more times a day then I would like and I walk around the entire house with her in my arms almost all day because she cries everytime I put her down but I can’t have one night alone with my husband?” Fallon complained.

“I’m pretty sure that’s the _exact_ definition of motherhood, babe,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh.

“I don’t know why you’re laughing considering you haven’t had sex in over a month either,” Fallon countered.

“You’re right, I haven’t, but you know...” Liam paused, “she is asleep now so why don’t we just,” he nodded towards the door.

“I bet you fifty bucks that she will start crying the minute we walk out of this room and leave her alone,” Fallon crossed her arms against her chest.

“Ugh,” Liam groaned, “when was the last time we did it anyway?”

“February 17th,” Fallon muttered, “exactly 38 days ago,” she added.

“You’re keeping track?!” His eyes widened in surprise and the words left his mouth a bit louder than they should have.

“Shh!” Fallon hit his arm. “Don’t wake her up,” she whispered, “and of course I’m keeping track. When have we ever gone 38 days without sex?” She asked rhetorically. “It took us 31 days to jump each other after I gave birth, if you want something to compare it to,”

“Gosh, I miss sex,” Liam ran a hand through his hair, “look, I got chinese on my way back so what do you say we go downstairs, have some dinner and when she falls asleep again later tonight we can give it a try?” Liam suggested.

“She will wake up soon anyway so maybe you two can have your first father and daughter serious talk while I take a shower and you can ask her to sleep a little heavier tonight?” Fallon replied.

* * *

Liam was reaching for two glasses on the top cabinet right above the sink when Fallon walked into the kitchen. He had already emptied all the boxes and placed each dish in a different porcelain bowl. The table was set for two and he had brought the stroller down, parking it between his seat and Fallon’s so they could keep an eye on her while they ate. Approaching the stroller, Fallon noticed that Charlotte was already awake, like she expected she would, staring deeply at the animal themed musical mobile.

“Hi baby,” Fallon’s voice was soft as she leaned forward to tickle her daughter’s belly lightly, “did you have a great nap?” She giggled at the three month old.

“Oh god,” Liam groaned when he turned around and caught a glimpse of Fallon’s cleavage. He tried to close his eyes and shake it off his head but he lost that battle when he walked towards the table without taking his eyes off her breasts for even a second.

Fallon wore a light blue nightgown and its matching robe that ended just a few inches over her knees. Usually, he would focus on how perfectly it matched her eyes and how short that poor excuse of a nightgown was but at that moment, all his focus was entirely on how disconcerting her breasts actually looked.

“It would be a lot easier if you wore normal pajamas, you know?” Liam murmured.

“They’re not practical,” Fallon replied, “this one makes it a lot easier to get them out when Charlotte gets hungry,”

“Yeah, well, that lace is clearly doing a horrible job keeping them inside anyway,” Liam mentioned, his eyes still glued to her chest, “it looks like they’re about to pop at any minute now,” he added.

“They also _feel_ like they’re going to explode anytime soon so you better be hungry, baby girl,” Fallon chuckled at Charlotte while pulling her out of the bassinet.

“They do look spetacular though,” Liam spoke as he reached for the large spoon and the bowl of fried rice.

“It’s a shame Charlotte is top priority now when it comes to them,” Fallon shrugged, settling the baby against her body while sliding the thin strap of her nightgown down with her free hand.

“Is that drool coming out of your mouth?” Fallon just couldn’t contain the loud laugh that escaped her lungs.

“You _do_ realize that you’re not making this any easier for me, right?” Liam questioned when she freed her left breast from the silk fabric, guiding her nipple towards Charlotte’s mouth. “And no, of course it’s not drool,” he ran the back of his hand against his lips trying to get rid of any possible evidence.

“You’re the one ogling them, Liam,” Fallon rolled her eyes, “could you fix me a plate?” She handed him her empty plate, extending her arm as much as she could while trying not to disturb her daughter.

“It’s kind of hard not to stare, you know?” Liam replied. “Your breasts are huge and firm and so perfectly round,” he paused so he wouldn’t start drooling again, “not to mention out in the open and oh my, they’re so perfect,” he groaned, his eyes fixated on her right breast, unfortunately still confined inside the nightgown.

“What happened to the man that found it beautiful and amazing how the mother produces exactly what the baby needs in such a natural process?” Fallon teased him. “The man who I believe told me that there really are things no money can buy... like having the milk supply that I have, which will be able to provide Charlotte everything she needs as she grows up without needing to complement her feeding with formula that comes in a can,”

“I’m _still_ that man,” Liam rolled his eyes, “and breastfeeding _is_ a beautiful thing, Fal, but right now I’m just turned on and frustrated and I really need you, okay?” He rambled while handing her back her plate.

“Just go to the bathroom and get this over with, Liam,” Fallon glanced at Charlotte for a moment before taking the fork to her mouth. The three month old was sucking hungrily on her nipple, her cheeks moving in the most adorable way while her tiny hand rested in a fist on the top of Fallon’s breast. “You do it every morning anyway, I really don’t mind if you need to step away for a few minutes,” she told him, “mhmm this is really good,” she gestured to the food as she chewed on the sweet and sour pork.

“I’m not gonna do that!” Liam’s eyes widened. “I can’t believe you would even say that in front of our daughter!”

“You _just_ mentioned being turned on and needing me,” Fallon shrugged, “which means you started with the inappropriate talking near our baby girl so this is _your_ fault,”

“Can we please just have a peaceful dinner as a family?” Liam suggested.

“Okay, okay,” Fallon giggled. As she ate another piece of pork, she couldn’t help but notice Liam moving awkwardly on his seat as if he was trying to find a more comfortable position. “You’re hard, aren’t you?”

“Fallon!” Liam exclaimed.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, “but she’s three months old, Liam, it’s not like she understands what we’re talking about,”

After that, they barely spoke any other words to each other throughout the entire dinner. They ate in silence, Fallon staring at their baby girl who was only a few minutes from falling asleep in her arms while Liam tried his best to keep his focus on the food in front of him.

“I’m gonna put her down,” Fallon looked at him while standing up from the chair, “put the food in the fridge and meet me upstairs in five,”

Fallon laughed when he tried to gather every piece of food on his plate with his fork and threw it all inside his mouth. Rolling her eyes, she turned on her heels and headed upstairs to Charlotte’s room.

* * *

“How is it possible that all we had to do was drug her with milk?” Liam asked, eliciting a loud laugh from his wife.

They were lying in the middle of the king size bed, wrapped around each other while still enjoying the bliss from their recent activities. His arms were wrapped around her smaller frane, one lying beneath her body while the other was thrown over her to pull her closer to him. Her head was nestled on his chest, listing to his peaceful heartbeat as he ran his fingers softly through her long brown strands.

“She did have a lot tonight,” Fallon laughed, “but she does that quite frequently so I guess that father and daughter was what really did it, hun?” She teased.

“Turns out I was right when I said there’s a new Carrington in the world now,” Liam started, “it’s clear that she’s all about mama so all I had to do was explain to her that mommy would be all stressed and grumpy if she didn’t spend some quality time with daddy,” he explained, “she probably made the smartest decision of sleeping after her night milk so we could have that time... so next time she cries mommy will be all happy and relaxed, ready to spend the night awake with her if needed,” he offered her a wide smile.

“I’m sorry,” Fallon raised her head off his chest, “but _you_ were the one all grumpy!”

“I don’t think I did a very good job considering you’re still a bit stressed,” Liam teased, his fingers tickling her skin as they moved up and down her side.

“I agree,” Fallon groaned, “you might have to try again just to be sure,” she mentioned while pulling him in for another kiss.

“What if she starts crying?” Liam settled his palm on her waist.

“Then we accept that we will not do it again until she goes off to college,” Fallon shrugged.

“Do you think boarding schools offer preschool too?” Liam asked.

“That still means about three years, Liam,” Fallon reminded him.

“Well, three is better than eighteen,” he rolled his eyes.

“We will figure it out, babe,” Fallon offered him a smile, her fingers blindly playing with the few hair behind his neck, “we always do, right?”


	11. Where Dreams Come True

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! The wait is finally over!
> 
> We are all stuck at home, we haven't gotten much Falliam content lately and we're heading towards a boring finale so Heather and I decided to entertain you with 53k words of Charlotte visiting the happiest place on Earth.
> 
> This chapter is even more special because of the incredible visual content Heather prepared for you to get even deeper into the story! So go check tumblr or twitter right now to see it! (tumblr: fallon-carrington-ridley or ladysantebellum // twitter: @falloncridley or @fallicms // or just use the tag "charlotte takes disney")
> 
> I hope you all have as much fun as we did preparing it!

Check out this story's [**visual content**](https://ladysantebellum.tumblr.com/post/616386489312493568/the-ridleys-take-walt-disney-world-collab-with).

**.**

The sunlight was starting to illuminate the long hallways of the Ridley’s mansion when Fallon stepped out of the master bedroom in black pants, her favorite leather black Prada boots, a cream-colored sweater and a red jacket. She had blow-dried her hair and curled the brown strands slightly before pulling some of them backwards to keep it away from her face.

Approaching her eldest daughter’s bedroom, Fallon opened the door with the large stuffed C on it and poked her head inside the room.

“Charlotte, time to get up!” She exclaimed.

The loud voice woke the six years old up right away and Charlotte sat up against the headboard with what was supposed to be the most annoyed look on her face if she weren’t wearing a Bugs Bunny sleeping mask.

Charlotte was lying in the middle of the queen size bed, buried under two layers of warm and heavy blankets, and surrounded by four pillows and two stuffed animals. Sliding the mask up her face, she pushed it off her head and threw it on the bed before turning towards her nightstand to check the time.

“8AM?!” Charlotte’s eyes widened. “It’s S _aturday_ ,” she complained, “and _spring break,_ ”

“Daddy is almost done getting your sister ready, the luggage is already in the car and your breakfast is waiting for you in the kitchen,” Fallon informed her.

“What _luggage_?” Charlotte rubbed the back of her hand against her eyes as a yawn escaped her lips. “I didn’t pack anything,” she threw Fallon a confused look.

“Then it’s a great thing your mom packed for you,” Fallon walked towards the window and pulled the curtains open, allowing the sun to shine inside the bedroom.

“Mom! Remember when I had corneas?” Charlotte screamed, closing her eyes shut before covering them with both of her hands just to be sure.

“Your corneas are just fine, I’m sure,” Fallon rolled her eyes, “we’re going on spring break road trip but if you want to go back to sleep,” she didn’t even have a chance to finish her sentence because Charlotte jumped out of bed as soon as she heard the word _road trip_.

“It’s not polite to wake someone up like that, Mrs. Ridley,” she shook her head at her mother in disapproval.

“I will remember this next time you start jumping on my bed at 6AM because you dreamed of giant pancakes and you will die in one hour if you don’t eat some for breakfast, _Miss Ridley_ ,” Fallon teased her back.

“You can’t argue with the dream fairy, mom,” Charlotte rolled her eyes, “the rules are _clear_. If you dream of food, you need to eat them as soon as you wake up,”

“I think I’m gonna send Miss Fairy a letter asking her to send some broccoli, beets and maybe even some asparagus to your dreams,” Fallon crossed her arms against her chest while throwing Charlotte a defiant look.

“Why did I do to you to deserve _broccoli_ for breakfast?” Charlotte looked at Fallon completely horrified.

“Charlotte, your chocolate milk and French toast are probably cold by now so less talking and more getting already,” she tapped her daughter’s butt softly, pushing her in the direction of the ensuite.

“Where are we going?” Charlotte rushed into her bathroom but returned less than a minute later when Fallon didn’t answer her question. “And what do you mean you _packed_ for me?” Her words were nothing but a murmur as she tried to speak with her toothbrush inside her mouth. “How do you know what outfits I want to wear this week?” She placed one hand on her hips and stared suspiciously at her mother.

Fallon couldn’t help but laugh at Charlotte freaking out about her clothes considering that had been one of her biggest concerns when Liam was trying to surprise her for their honeymoon. She remembered the panic in her eyes when he told her Sam had packed everything that she would need for their first trip as husband and wife, so she couldn’t exactly _blame_ her daughter for freaking out but it certainly felt good to be on the other side of the surprise for a chance.

“Charlotte, go brush your teeth over the sink,” Fallon said seriously, “you’re gonna drop tooth paste all over your floor,” she told her. “I will be downstairs eating my breakfast and you better come down soon,”

“How am I supposed to know what outfit to choose?” Charlotte screamed from the ensuite.

“You saw my outfit, I’m sure you can think of something,” Fallon replied while stepping out of the bedroom.

_One hour later..._

“Wait for me! Wait for me!” Charlotte screamed, running out of the house while trying to get to the garage as fast as possible.

Olivia was already tucked in her car seat with all the seatbelts perfectly buckled in the car and around her small body. She wore a white long-sleeved bodysuit, light turquoise pants and pink socks but Fallon still felt the need to place a fleece blanket on top of her to protect her from the car’s air conditioner.

Fallon was leaning forward on the passenger seat, checking the bag between her legs to make sure she had gotten everything they needed for the seven hours drive. Liam had prepared a few sandwiches and some fruit bowls for each one them and Fallon had grabbed bottles of water, some juice boxes for Charlotte and even a few not very healthy snacks like pretzels, M&M’s and Reese’s butter cups to keep her eldest entertained during the drive.

Liam was driving out of the garage when they noticed their six years old running as fast as she could to get to them, wearing an all-black outfit and a blue jean jacket over it. Charlotte tried to hold the black hat on her head while holding her stuffed Olaf in the same hand as she ran towards the car. Under her other arm, she was carrying the biggest bag of potato chips she had found in the kitchen.

“Wait! You can’t leave me!” She screamed.

The black BMW SUV was already out of the covered garage when Charlotte stopped to breath. She bent forward, resting her hands on her knees as she focused on taking deep breaths. Liam stopped the car right next to her and pushed the button to open Fallon’s window.

“I told you we were leaving at nine, Charlotte,” Fallon leaned slightly over the door to look at her daughter, “and it’s 9:04,”

“Open the door,” she groaned, trying to open the door to the backseat but it was locked.

“You’re late, I’m sorry,” Fallon shrugged.

“I’m right _here_!” Charlotte let go of the handle and walked towards Fallon’s window. “See?” She pushed herself on her tiptoes and poked her head inside the car. “You can’t leave me!” She threw them her famous puppy eyes but as Fallon and Liam stared at her, they could swear she was going to start crying at any minute. “ _Please_ ,” she begged, “I wanna go too,” she pouted, “I’m sorry mommy, I’m sorry daddy,”

“What do you think, Fallon?” Liam asked his wife. “Should we forgive her?”

“I think everyone deserves a five minutes tolerance, right?” Fallon shrugged.

“Yes!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Can you please open the door now, daddy?”

Liam unlocked the back door and the six years old threw her snowman and the bag of chips on the middle seat before sitting on her booster seat. Closing the door, Charlotte allowed herself to finally breath properly while placing a hand over her heart.

“Seatbelt,” Liam looked at her through the rearview mirror.

“I don’t think child services would be happy had you left me all by myself!” Charlotte started. “You two could go to _jail_ for leaving a poor and adorable six years old _all_ alone in her house,” she dramatized. “Mommy almost destroyed my corneas this morning to wake me up and now you were about to leave your precious child behind!” She exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air. “Can you believe that, Ollie?” Charlotte turned towards her sister. “Our own parents... can you believe they were going to leave your awesome sister behind because of silly four minutes?” She rolled her eyes.

Liam and Fallon glanced at each other, trying their best not to burst out laughing at the drama queen currently sitting behind Fallon. While Charlotte knew they would never actually leave her behind, she had gotten so nervous that she couldn’t even think straight anymore but they couldn’t deny her conversation with Olivia was definitely a great entertainment for the beginning of their trip.

“What is that?” Charlotte asked horrified when _Love of My Life_ from Queen started playing.

“The playlist your mom and I made for the trip,” Liam replied nonchalantly, his eyes focused on the road.

“Queen is not road trip material,” Charlotte complained.

“You love Queen, Charlotte,” Fallon told her.

“I love singing it with you while we play the piano but it’s too boring and slow for the car,” she replied. “Where’s my Frozen playlist? It took me _forever_ to make it, you can’t just _ignore_ it!”

“You sat still for _five_ minutes and added _every_ song to the playlist, Charlotte,” Liam mentioned, “including the ones from the deluxe version,”

“It’s not my fault they’re _all_ incredible,” Charlotte rolled her eyes.

 _“Love of my life, you’ve hurt me,_ ” Liam sang.

“You can’t sing, daddy,” Charlotte shook her head in disapproval.

“ _Don’t take it away from me because,_ ” Fallon started singing, “ _you don’t know what it means to me,_ ” her voice rose high as she sang along to the lyrics.

“Now _that’s_ what singing is supposed to sound like, daddy,” Charlotte told him.

“Here,” Fallon turned towards her daughter, offering her her iPhone and Air Pods.

“Aww, mommy, you’re so sweet,” Charlotte blew her a kiss.

“That should keep her quiet for an hour or something,” Fallon whispered once the Air Pods were in Charlotte’s ears and she started shaking her head, meaning she was already lost in one her favorite songs.

“That playlist is three hours long,” Liam frowned.

“As soon as she remembers she doesn’t know where we’re going or she feels hungry not even Olaf will keep her quiet,” Fallon laughed.

* * *

They had been on the highway for over two hours when Liam decided to stop at a rest area. Olivia was starting to complain about being stuck in the car seat for too long and Fallon had definitely drunk more water than she should have.

“Charlotte, go to the bathroom with your mom,” Liam stepped out of the car before opening the backseat door to get his youngest.

Charlotte jumped out of the car and closed her eyes as soon as her feet hit the ground. The sun was at its full peak and there was not a single cloud on the bright blue sky.

“Why does it have to be so bright outside?” Charlotte complained. “My corneas still hurt,” she groaned, extending her arms in front of as she tried to find Fallon with her eyes closed.

“I see the drama is still on point,” Fallon placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her around before she bumped into a random car.

“You’re lucky you can still see,” Charlotte murmured, “I think I might be _blind_!”

“It’s a shame you won’t be able to see Olaf,” Liam rounded the car carrying the baby bag on one of his shoulder while holding Olivia against the other side of his body, “or Cinderella’s castle... I’m sure you don’t even remember how beautiful it was on your third birthday,”

“ _OLAF_?” Charlotte opened her eyes and her body spun almost 360 degrees as she searched for her father. “You mean that little guy currently keeping my seat warm while I go to the bathroom?!” She pointed towards the car.

“Oh so you _can_ see!” Liam sighed in relief. “I was starting to worry your mom had actually blinded you,” he pretended to be completely horrified by that thought.

“She _could_ have!” Charlotte exclaimed. “You didn’t see how _fast_ she opened those blinds! I was lucky that I managed to close my eyes fast otherwise the sun would have burned my eyes to ashes!”

“Yes, princess, you were very lucky _indeed_ ,” Fallon nodded, wrapping an arm around Charlotte’s shoulders, “but can we please go to the bathroom now?”

“The least you can do is let me borrow those Prada sunglasses,” Charlotte rolled her eyes, “just so, you know, my corneas can go back to normal before we get to Disney World!” She screamed the last part while jumping in excitement.

“I’m sure your corneas are just fine, Charlotte,” Fallon groaned, “where are _your_ sunglasses?”

“They’re not as pretty as yours,” Charlotte shrugged, walking into Starbucks as Fallon held the door open for her. The older brunette threw her a suspicious look and it didn’t take Charlotte more than ten seconds to plead guilty, “and they _might_ have fallen from my face when I was running towards the car this morning,” she added, “but that’s also _your_ fault considering you were trying to see Mickey without your own daughter,”

“What if you lose mine as well?” Fallon asked as they stepped into the small bathroom. “Are you going to use your money to buy me a new one? Money you could spend at the parks? Or even better,” she paused, “at the _Frozen_ attraction,”

“That is an amazing and very well put argument, mom,” Charlotte looked at herself in the mirror, throwing her reflection a wink before nodding in understanding, “I can’t spend my money on futilities,” she mentioned.

“What happened to your normal six years old vocabulary?” Fallon asked intrigued.

“I found an old dictionary in daddy’s office and memorized a few words to scare him,” Charlotte whispered at her mother while they washed their hands.

“We are the only ones here, baby,” she whispered back.

“I _know_ , but it’s still a _secret_ ,” Charlotte continued to whisper.

“But if you’re so worried about spending your money in futilities,” Fallon started as they walked out of the bathroom and towards the line, “I feel it’s my duty as your mother to remember you that you have five Olaf’s already,”

“One in each size, which means they’re all completely different,” she pointed out with a shrug.

“I’m just saying you might need sunglasses since you’re going to be walking under the sun all day at the parks,” Fallon told her, “I have my glasses, my hat and my sunscreen but you’re even whiter than me... sunglasses do sound like a good investment, princess,”

“Good afternoon! What would you like?” The polite young man across the counter offered them a smile.

“A tall latte, please,” Fallon told him.

“I would like a venti cold latte with almond milk and a double shot of espresso, a hint of vanilla, whipped cream and a smiley face next to my name,” Charlotte offered the man a smile, “which is Charlotte, by the way, thank you,” she spoke before walking towards the end of the counter to wait for her beverage.

“Make it a tall one and for my own sake you might wanna make it decaf as well,” Fallon rolled her eyes as she handed the man a few small bills, who couldn’t help but laugh at the six years old’s attitude.

When Fallon and Charlotte finally walked out of the coffee shop, they found Liam sitting down on a bench with Olivia sitting on his legs. The pink silicone baby bib was hanging in front of her while he gave her some of the fresh fruit.

“I think we should consider changing our plans and sending Charlotte to LA, babe,” Fallon said as she approached them, “her sassiness is through the roof today, I’m sure Hollywood would love that,”

“I don’t wanna be an actress,” Charlotte took a sip of her drink, “I want to see Olaf, Pluto and Chewie!”

“Why not? You can get _very_ rich as an actress!” Liam told her.

“I _am_ rich,” Charlotte stated, “and I’m gonna have my own company, just like mom,” she spoke proudly.

“Fal, I’ve changed Liv already but can you finish giving her these so I can go to the bathroom real quick?” Liam asked.

“Of course,” Fallon nodded.

“You help mommy, okay?” Liam ran his fingers softly through Charlotte’s hair before heading into the coffee shop.

When they returned to the highway, it didn’t take long for Charlotte to fall asleep as the boredom from the car finally took over her body. Unlike her bigger sister, Olivia was wide awake but relatively quite as she watched the road from the window on her right.

Charlotte’s Olaf had ended up with her at some point during the road trip and nothing could get the seven months old to let go of the stuffed snowman. She had tucked him between her body and the car seat and her arm was thrown over him protectively.

“You having fun with Olaf, pumpkin?” Fallon turned slightly on her seat and ran her softly over Olivia’s head.

“Ehh!” She exclaimed.

“Where are we?” Charlotte murmured while waking up. “How far _is_ Orlando anyway?”

“Still one hour and a half to get there, Charlotte,” Liam informed.

“That’s too long!” The six years old complained.

“You could go back to sleep... maybe time will move faster,” Fallon suggested.

“I listened to my Frozen playlist, I ate two sandwiches _and_ my bag of chips, I even took a nap and we’re still _not_ in Orlando?” Charlotte groaned. “Why are we even _driving_ there? The jet is _so_ much faster,”

“Because we would need to rent a car when we got there and then there’s all the baby stuff that we would have to carry around,” Fallon explained. “We already have Liv’s car seat and your seat booster installed here, her stroller is in the trunk...”

“Mom, can I borrow your phone?” Charlotte asked. “My iPad died and I wanna watch a movie,”

“We will probably arrive before the movie is over, princess,” Liam told his daughter.

“How long until we get there?” Charlotte asked again.

“Five minutes less than the last time you asked,” Liam replied.

“I still can’t believe we’re going to _Disney World_ ,” she continued, “I need to see it with my own eyes!”

“I thought you had asked Santa for a trip to Disney,” Fallon mentioned.

“Who told you that?” Charlotte’s eyes widened. “That’s between me and Mr. Claus,”

“You also asked _your mother and I_ for a Disney trip for your birthday, Charlotte,” Liam told her.

“Oh, that’s right,” she nodded, “I just thought maybe I hadn’t been good enough last year to deserve it,”

“You do talk quite a lot,” Liam murmured and Fallon hit his arm as soon as the words were out of his mouth. “What? She _does_!”

“I’m still trying to figure out how to be the _best_ girl in the _whole_ world,” Charlotte told them, “Santa still hasn’t brought me the pet giraffe that I’ve been asking him for _years_!” She exclaimed. “But it’s so hard to behave for an _entire_ year,”

“Where would you even keep a giraffe, Charlotte?” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh.

“She would obviously sleep in the backyard,” Charlotte rolled her eyes, “and then when she got up, I would pet her while standing on the balcony,”

“Maybe if you were a good girl during every _single_ day of the year, you’d get your giraffe,” Liam shrugged.

“You grounded me last month because I didn’t clean the playroom like you asked,” Charlotte groaned, “well, maybe _next_ year,” she sighed, leaning back against her seat.

“You were good enough to get your Disney trip, princess,” Fallon told her daughter, “maybe focus on that for now?”

“I understand mommy is stressed and cranky because her period is coming soon but what has gotten into you today, Charlotte?” He glanced at her through the rearview mirror.

“Hey!” Fallon exclaimed.

“Don’t even try to deny it, Fal,” Liam laughed, “I know your cycle better than _you_ probably do,”

“I’m bored, daddy,” Charlotte murmured.

“Can you imagine when Charlotte starts getting PMS and periods?” Fallon teased her husband.

“I will probably move out when that happens,”

“You can complain all you want, daddy, but we both know I’m the love of your life,” Charlotte leaned forward again, resting one cheek on the back of Fallon’s seat in an attempt of getting closer to her father.

“I’m pretty sure your _mom_ is the love of my life,” Liam removed his right hand from the steering wheel for a moment and ran it over Charlotte’s head, messing her hair slightly.

“It’s not my fault you met her before me,”

“If I hadn’t met mom you wouldn’t _exist_ , Charlie,” Liam laughed loudly.

“I’m sure daddy loves you as much as he loves me, princess,” Fallon covered her small hand with hers, “but mommy has a headache so can you please sit back and relax? I promise we will arrive soon,”

“How soon?” Charlotte asked for the third time.

“Charlotte!” Fallon and Liam exclaimed at the same time and the six years old didn’t need another word from her parents to understand it was time to stop talking.

“Ollie, wake up!” Charlotte screamed when she recognized the Walt Disney World welcome sign in front of them. Leaning towards her sister, she shook Olivia’s arm and the seven years old burst out crying. “No, no crying, Ollie,” she murmured, “mom, you have to make a story!” She exclaimed while handing Fallon’s iPhone back to her, “fast, mom!”

“Okay, okay,” Fallon reached for the phone and went straight to the Instagram app. Raising her phone, she tilted it slightly upwards for the camera to capture the sign right as they drove through it. “I think it worked,” she commented while watching the ten seconds video.

“Don’t cry, Ollie,” Charlotte ran her hand over Olivia’s head, playing with her light brown hair, “we’re in Disney World, the happiest place on Earth!”

“Apparently both of you got your mother’s grumpy mood when someone wakes you girls up from your beauty sleep,” Liam laughed.

“Shh, it’s okay, Ollie,” Charlotte spoke softly and soon enough Olivia started calming down. “Mommy, did you post it on Instagram?”

“Not yet, princess,”

“Well, don’t forget to tag me when you do!”

“I still can’t believe you made an Instagram from her,” Liam sighed.

“She kept using mine and I’m quite the influencer, Liam,” Fallon told him, “I have to be careful with my content so I don’t become reason for gossip…”

“She is _six_ , Fallon, she wasn’t supposed to be using your account _either_ ,”

“I can’t really use it without mom, dad,” Charlotte looked at him, “she blocked my stories and I can only post pre-approved photos. I can’t post photos that show my face and mommy gets to read my caption before I post a photo,” she explained. “Not to mention that it’s a private account and I can only accept family and friends as followers,”

“See? She’s a responsible girl, babe,” Fallon offered him a smile.

“It’s a shame mommy doesn’t allow me to post stories,” Charlotte shrugged. “I’m so entertaining I could be as famous as mom! I mean,” she paused, “I’m sure my 23 followers would love to hear about my life,”

“We can talk about unblocking those stories at your Sweet 16, okay?” Fallon suggested.

“When is that?”

“In about ten years…” Liam replied.

“Well, that’s probably how long it will take us to arrive anyway,” Charlotte rolled her eyes.

“We literally just drove through the welcome sign, Charlie,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh. Fallon couldn’t have been righter when she said their daughter’s drama was on point that day.

“And yet the hotel is nowhere to be seen,” she added while looking out the window.

* * *

The sun hadn’t even started shining when Charlotte woke up feeling as rested as she had ever felt even though it was only six o’clock. Olivia was still sound sleep in the crib next to the bed and from the silence and quietness in the suite, Charlotte could only guess her parents were also sleeping in the other bedroom.

Sliding off the bed, Charlotte was careful not to make any sound as she walked towards the Gucci suitcases that Fallon had packed for both of her girls. Opening the first one, Charlotte looked through the clothes her mother had chosen for her and decided to wear the plain red dress on her first day at Disney World.

For Olivia, she chose a plain light gray long sleeved onesie and pink pants then placed both outfits delicately on the bed end so they wouldn’t get wrinkled. Walking towards the nightstand, she grabbed the first visit pin they had gotten Olivia at the front desk during check in and placed it carefully on top of her sister’s onesie.

Returning to the luggage, Charlotte pulled Olivia’s pink old skool Vans out of her sister’s suitcase before searching for her own pair of Vans. When she finally found the black old skool shoes tucked neatly inside a cotton shoe bag, she laid her pair and her sister’s on the floor under their respective outfits then took a couple steps backwards to take a better look at them.

“Perfect!” Charlotte exclaimed in a voice low as not to wake her sister.

“Now I just need my flipflops and underwear,” she told herself as she kneeled on the floor. “Oh, mom got me new panties!” Her eyes sparkled when she opened one of the cotton bags and noticed the brand new Disney themed underwear. “I’m feeling Minnie this morning,” she whispered, reaching for the soft red piece with white polka dots, Minnie’s face on its front and thin white lace on its borders.

“We’re in Disney World,” Charlotte started singing as she jumped out of the bedroom and into the ensuite, “I’m going to meet Mickey and Olaf and Sulley!” She made up the lyrics as she swirled around the bathroom. “Oh I can’t wait to meet my Olaf!” She placed both of her hands on her cheeks and looked at herself on the mirror. “Charlotte Ridley! You are meeting _Olaf_!” She told her reflection, her mouth wide open and her eyes shining in excitement.

Liam had organized the four travel toiletry bags on the large sink the night before so they could easily reach for everything they needed at any time. They were all the same, except for their colors and monograms embroidered on top of them. After removing her pajamas, Charlotte opened the pink one with CGR on it and grabbed her shampoo and conditioner.

 _“This will all make sense when I am older,”_ Charlotte sang, stepping into the shower and turning on the spray, _“someday I will see that this makes sense,”_

Placing the bottles on the shelf, Charlotte stood under the hot spray and ran her though her hair as a relaxing sigh escaped her lips.

 _“One day, when I’m old and wise,”_ she paused, _“I’ll think back and realize,”_ reaching for the shampoo bottle, she squeezed some of the light blue liquid in her hand, _“that these were all completely normal events,”_ she exclaimed.

 _“I’ll have all the answers when I’m older,”_ Charlotte continued, massaging her scalp as she spread the shampoo all over her hair, pulling it all up and letting it rest on the top of the head while she used the bottle as a microphone.

The six years old continued to sing as she washed her body with the glycerin liquid soap she had found in Olivia’s toiletry bag. When she was sure there was no shampoo left in her hair, she stepped away from the spray and took the conditioner bottle. Splitting her hair in two, she applied a small portion of the cream on each side, running her fingers carefully through her long brown strands, just like her mother had thought her.

 _“Growing up, means adapting,”_ Charlotte continued, _“puzzling at the world and your face,”_ she had her back to the door so she didn’t see when Fallon leaned against the threshold, her arms crossed on her chest, _“being watched by something with a creepy, creepy face,”_

“What’s going on in here?” Fallon asked.

“HOLY GUACAMOLE!” Charlotte screamed, jumping on the spot and dropping the hairbrush on the floor as she tried to brace herself by holding onto the glass doors.

“You were supposed to scream like Olaf does in the movie,” Fallon laughed hard at her daughter’s reaction.

“Are you trying to _kill_ me, mom?” Charlotte placed one hand over her heart. “I’m naked and _vulnerable_!”

“Charlotte, it’s 6:30AM, what the hell are you doing awake?” Fallon stepped further into the bathroom. “No, let me rephrase that... why are you awake, in the shower and singing?” She yawned. “The park doesn’t open ‘til nine,”

“We have extra magic hours, mom!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Which means we can arrive at eight!”

“Were you going through my stuff?” Fallon noticed her toiletry bag was open.

“No,” Charlotte blushed.

“Charlotte Grace...” Fallon spoke seriously.

“I just wanted some lipstick, that’s all,” she admitted, “now can a girl please have some privacy while she’s in the shower?”

“I will just go back to bed...” Fallon murmured, grumpy and still half asleep as she dragged herself out of the ensuite.

“Don’t you have to feed Ollie? I’m sure she wants to arrive at the park at eight too,” Charlotte screamed when she could no longer see Fallon.

“Remind me why we chose Orlando over literally any other city in this world?” Fallon groaned while returning to her bedroom. “I miss going to Paris every six months... having a quite an peaceful dinner at the Louvre, strolling down the Seine...”

“We managed to enjoy that until she asked to come here for her third birthday,” Liam replied, “after that, there are only two cities that really matter in the globe of Charlotte and they are Atlanta and Orlando,” he laughed, “she was over the moon in New York when we flew there just the two of us last year but I still don’t think she was half as happy there as she is right now,”

“I still can’t believe my vacations are now solely based on visiting Mickey Mouse,” Fallon rolled her eyes before throwing herself on the mattress, “I just want to sleep,” she groaned.

“It was your idea to come, babe,” Liam turned on his side and ran his fingers softly up and down her arm, “you said we couldn’t come for her birthday in December because Liv was too small but it was your choice to come now,”

“Yeah, because she stole my heart six years ago and even though I want to go to Paris, or Rome, or Thailand... I look into those compelling blue eyes and I can’t seem to choose anything but that damn mouse,” Fallon complained. “It’s like she discovered Frozen and nothing else matters anymore. I don’t even remember the last time we went a day without Olaf’s name coming up in a conversation,” she told him, “I just caught her singing that growing up song in the shower while washing her hair and while that songs drives me crazy, it’s so adorable when _she’s_ singing it,”

“Because she’s your daughter and you would do anything for her, babe,” Liam spoke, “but you know what this means, Fal?” Liam leaned forward to place a soft kiss on her shoulder. “That we should plan a couple’s trip next...” he murmured, his lips getting too close to her neck, “adults only, lots of alcohol...”

“As tempting as that sounds, Olivia is still too young,” Fallon glanced at him. “Charlotte drives both of us crazy on a daily basis already. We need the angel of the family to be a bit more independent before we drop them with Alexis,” she laughed, “if we leave our troublemaker and a baby that needs full attention with her she will not volunteer to babysit ever again,”

“Do you want to sleep a little longer?” Liam pulled her toward him, wrapping his arm around her shoulder while she rested her head on his chest.

“To be honest, that’s all I want, but I don’t think Charlotte will approve that,” Fallon murmured, “this week is all about her and she’s so excited. It’s all worth it when I see that smile,”

“Should we start getting ready then?” Liam asked.

“In a few minutes,” Fallon snuggled closer to him, “Olivia’s still asleep and I want to stay with my husband for a few more minutes,” Liam tightened his arm around her body then placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

It was almost eight when the Ridley’s managed to walk out of their room. Charlotte hadn’t even eaten breakfast yet and they could swear they had never seen their six years old so happy at such an early hour and without food in her stomach.

“Are you sure we have everything?” Fallon turned towards Liam.

“Two girls, one stroller, extra clothes for all four of us, snacks, money, phones and camera,” Liam told her. “I checked Olivia’s diaper bag before we left so I think we’re good,”

“Charlotte!” Fallon exclaimed when the little girl started running down the hallway towards the elevators. She stopped as soon as she heard her mother’s voice and spun around, turning towards her parents, who were still quite a few feet behind. “Do you want us to go back to the room and spend the day watching movies?”

“No...” Charlotte murmured while staring down at her feet.

“What did I _just_ tell you before we walked out of the room?” Fallon demanded, her tone strong and serious. She definitely wasn’t joking around.

“Not to run,” she whispered.

“I didn’t hear you,” Fallon told her, “maybe because you’re too far from us when your dad and I literally told you to stay close to us not even five minutes ago,”

“I’m sorry,” the six years old took a few steps towards them almost in slow motion.

“Charlotte Grace, you better stop pouting and start looking at your mother because she’s talking to you,” Liam raised his tone, clearly not amused with her current behavior, “you may think we’re kidding but we’re not. This is very serious,”

“I would like you to tell me exactly what we told you inside the room,” Fallon requested. “Can you do that or should we just go back there?” She pointed towards their room.

“You said I had to stay close to you at all times, no matter how excited I am to get somewhere or even because I see a character that I really wanna talk to,” Charlotte started.

“And why did we say that, Charlotte?” Liam inquired.

“Because the parks are always crowded and there are people everywhere. I can get lost or someone mean could take me in the blink of eye and I would never see you again,” she added. “I’m sorry, mommy, I’m sorry, daddy,” she looked between them, her puppy eyes staring deeply at their matching blue ones.

“You’re not a toddler anymore, Charlotte, you’re a big girl and the last thing I want is to have you wear those backpacks with leashes,” Fallon told her, “but you’re agitated and you jump and run everywhere when you’re this happy so we get worried,”

“I won’t do it again, I promise,” Charlotte offered them a smile.

“It’s okay if you want to walk a few feet ahead of us but I’d appreciate if you walked _right_ in front of us... can you do that for us?” Liam asked her.

“Yes, dad, I can,” she nodded.

“This trip is all about you, Charlotte,” Liam continued, “you can choose the attractions, the restaurants and the characters we meet but you gotta tell us first and then we will all go together. If you want to go somewhere, you ask,” he told her, “you ask and we will go. We have a full week here and we’re only going to Disney parks so we will have plenty of time to see everything, okay? If you can’t do everything you want in one of the parks then we will go back to it some other day,” he explained. “Are we clear?”

“Very clear,” Charlotte nodded. “Are you angry at me?”

“We’re not angry, princess, we’re just worried about you,” Fallon offered her a smile. “We love you very much and we don’t want anything bad to happen to you, that’s all,”

“I will behave, I promise,”

“Let’s go then,” Liam told them, “you can lead the way as long as you stay close,”

The ride on the monorail to Magic Kingdom was as smooth as it could be. Olivia was still in the stroller but couldn’t take her eyes off the group of kids next to them. They were probably a couple of years older than Charlotte and each one wore a different princess dress. She laughed every time they danced around the train or talked to each other while in character.

“I need to buy a princess dress too!” Charlotte told her parents.

“We have reservations at Be Our Guest this afternoon. You could dress up as Belle,” Liam suggested.

“Belle is the best princess, daddy. I wouldn’t have even _thought_ of another one,” Charlotte rolled her eyes.

“I know she’s the best princess, Charlie, which is why I chose that restaurant,” he laughed.

“Do you think they have the blue dress? I don’t think the yellow ball gown is appropriate for lunch,” Charlotte rambled, “I would probably be _way_ over dressed,”

“I’m sure there will be lots of girls wearing Belle’s dress, Charlotte,” Fallon played with the little girl’s hair.

“Yet _another_ reason for me to get the blue one,” Charlotte replied.

“This reminds me of an important matter, princess,” Liam looked at her, “you have your own money and you can buy whatever you want but be careful not to spend it all in one day because we’re not giving you more,”

“What?” Her jaw fell and a terrified look took over her face.

“Daddy and I will pay for food but dresses, stuffed animals, souvenirs... those are all on you,” Fallon explained, “you get a great allowance every month, which means you have enough to meet your own shopping standards,” she told her. “You love math so this is a great opportunity for you to use your skills,”

“Now I wish I had washed more dishes,” Charlotte crossed her arms against her chest.

“So _now_ you see how important it is to wash a few dishes once in a while?” Liam teased her.

“Mommy _never_ washes dishes,” Charlotte countered, “not even a single spoon. Why do _I_ have to wash it?”

“Because your grandpa spoiled your mom way too much and for your own good, I’m not going to do that to you,” Liam explained.

“Mom turned out pretty well, in my opinion,” Charlotte shrugged. “She’s rich, pretty, married and has two wonderful girls,”

“Well, maybe it’s time mommy starts washing some dishes then,” Liam glanced at Fallon.

“Don’t worry, mom, I can teach you,” Charlotte offered her a smile.

“Well, look at that, we have arrived!” Fallon explained, completely ignoring the dishes subject as she pointed towards the door.

“Oh my god, I think I’m gonna cry,” Charlotte’s hand flew to her mouth when the automatic doors opened, “did you bring your professional camera, dad?” Lifting her chin, she looked up at her father as they exited the monorail.

“I did, princess, but it’s in the backpack,” Liam told her, “we will stop for breakfast at Main Street and then we can get it, alright?” She nodded.

“Here,” Fallon opened the Minnie Mouse handbag she had bought at Kate Spade the first time they visited the parks with Charlotte and pulled out her iPhone from one of its compartments, “put the strap around your neck,” she instructed when she noticed the six years old frowning at the device.

“What _ugly_ case is this, mom?” Charlotte asked, “what happened your classic green one?” She turned the phone in her hand, analyzing the thick black case that made her phone feel twice as heavy.

“This ugly case is the only one that will keep my phone in one piece if a certain six years old drops it on the floor in the middle of a crowded park,” Fallon explained.

“You have Apple Care,” Charlotte rolled her eyes.

“That doesn’t mean I want to risk breaking my phone, Charlotte, but if the case is too ugly then I can just keep my phone and you can rely on your memories,” Fallon shrugged. “It won’t hit the floor if you drop it and the strap is around your neck...”

“Alright, alright,” Charlotte nodded. “Can I use Instagram?” She stared up at her mother.

“For what exactly? We haven’t taken any photos yet,”

“Stories,” she rolled her eyes as if it was obvious, “which means I have to use your account,”

“Fine,” Fallon sighed, handing her unlocked iPhone to her daughter, “but only in the close friends filter, princess,”

“Okay,” she whispered, holding the phone in front of her face before switching to the front camera, “hello everyone,” she spoke, “we are in Magic Kingdom right now,” she narrated as they reached Main Street, “you can see daddy,” she tilted the camera towards him, “and Ollie here,” she took a step forward so she could capture the baby inside the stroller, “tell them how excited we are, Ollie,”

“Eh eh!” The seven months old kicked her legs and shook her arms, laughing at Charlotte as her eyes sparkled in excitement at the sight in front of her.

“And this is mom,” Charlotte extended her arm as much as she could, trying to fit both Fallon and herself in the small screen, “as you can see we are matching today,” she moved the camera from her face all the way down to her feet to show them her red dress before turning it back to Fallon, “and over there,” she switched to the back camera, “you can see the extraordinary Cinderella castle,” using both of her thumbs, she started zooming in on the castle at the end of Main Street, “our first day is just starting so stay tuned for more stories!” Switching back to herself, she exclaimed before blowing a kiss to the camera.

“Come on, Charlie, we can’t be late for our reservation,” Liam told her, “I’m sure your mom’s followers can wait for more stories,”

“No, wait!” Charlotte exclaimed. “I need an autograph book! How did I forget about it?” She panicked. “I can’t have breakfast with the characters if I don’t have one,”

“Babe, take Olivia to get us a table and I will take Miss Ridley here to the store to get a book,” Fallon suggested, “we will meet you in a few,”

“Alright,” Liam crouched down to look at Charlotte face to face, “choose a pretty book and a nice pen but keep your basket to these _two_ items right now, okay?” He asked. “You’ll have time to shop as much as you want but I want you to have breakfast first, okay?”

“Okay, daddy,” Charlotte offered him a smile.

The park wasn’t even open for the public staying outside of the Disney complex yet so there were only a few people in the store when Charlotte and Fallon walked in. The younger brunette spotted the books right away and ran towards them, choosing the black official autograph book with that year written on the cover next to the main Disney characters. As they headed towards the cashier, she tried not to think much of her choice of pen when her stomach growled loudly. She didn’t think she could wait five more minutes before stuffing it with fresh and warm waffles.

“Hello, that will be $25.56,” the polite woman across the counter spoke while placing the book and the Mickey pen carefully inside a plastic bag.

Charlotte scanned the pink magic band on her wrist then offered the saleswoman a smile before reaching for the small blue bag.

“Could I have the receipt, please?” Charlotte asked.

“Of course,” she handed her the small white paper, “have fun!”

“Thank you!” Charlotte jumped in excitement. “Oh, what are you buying?” She asked when she noticed Fallon was scanning her own magic band at the cashier right next to her.

“A present for my girl,” Fallon thanked the young boy then turned towards Charlotte, placing the Minnie Mouse sequined ear headband on her head before placing her own on her head. The ears were black just like the character’s and the red bow matched their dress perfectly.

Liam’s eyes sparkled in adoration when he noticed Fallon and Charlotte approaching their table wearing matching Minnie ears. “Oh my god, you two look adorable!” He commented.

“Thank you,” Charlotte smiled, “hi Tiger!” She waved at the character standing at their table.

“Ah ah!” Olivia laughed loudly when Tiger tickled her.

“She loves him,” Liam looked at Fallon, “we’ve been here fifteen minutes and I think I already have twenty different photos of them,” he laughed.

“Ehh!” Olivia exclaimed when he started tilting his head from right to left to entertain her. “Eh eh!” She repeated, raising her arms as she tried to grab his black nose.

“Tiger, can I have an autograph?” Charlotte reached for her book and pen and opened it on the first page. “Thank you!” She smiled.

When Charlotte set the book down, Tiger grabbed her by the hand and pulled her away from the table, spinning her around while holding both of her hands in his large paws. For a couple of minutes, they danced around together, jumping just like his character used to do in the movie.

Olivia couldn’t stop laughing at her sister interacting with the character and while Liam watched them in awe, Fallon recorded the entire moment on her phone.

“I love you,” Charlotte threw herself at him and hugged him as tight as she could. Tiger wrapped his arms around her small body then blew her a kiss before heading towards another family.

“Come on, princess, let’s get some food,” Fallon placed a hand on her shoulder.

Liam was feeding Olivia tiny pieces of his pancake when they returned to the table, both of them with a bowl of scrambled eggs and a plate with bacon and a mickey waffle.

“Do you two copy each other or do you just like the _exact_ same stuff?” Liam couldn’t help but laugh. They wore matching dresses, matching headbands and their breakfast choice was exactly the same. The only difference between them being their size and age.

“Are you jealous, babe?” Fallon teased him.

“No,” he shook his head, “I just never thought I would see the great Fallon wearing Minnie ears and eating Mickey waffles,” he laughed, “not to mention doing all of that while matching perfectly with her daughter in Orlando, Florida,”

“The things we do for our children...” Fallon sighed. “It’s like they look at us and we’re doomed,” she laughed.

“We are going to take a photo at the castle and frame it to put in our living room!” Charlotte told him while pushing an entire strip in her mouth.

“Easy, Charlotte,” Fallon laughed.

“Oh my god, Pooh is coming!” Charlotte chewed on the bacon as fast as she could then swallowed it down with the help of her water. “Hi Pooh!” She exclaimed at the tall yellow bear.

Pooh waved at her and Charlotte jumped off her seat to hug his fat belly. He noticed the book sitting on the table and quickly reached for it, signing his name next to Tiger’s before pointing at Fallon’s phone.

“Take our picture, mom!” Charlotte wrapped an arm around Pooh and they both stared at the camera. He ran a hand through her hair gently before rounding the table to talk to the baby girl.

“This is the best breakfast ever,” Charlotte returned to her seat and took a bite of her waffle. “I wonder where Piglet, Eeyore and Roo are,” she looked around the restaurant but still couldn’t spot them anywhere.

“We have all the time in the world, princess,” Liam told her, “I got this for you,” he handed her a map of the park, “so you can choose where you want to go first,”

“Oh, let me check,” Charlotte reached for the map and opened it widely in front of her, taking another piece of waffle as she read the list of attractions. “I wanna start at Tomorrowland, dad!”

“That sounds awesome, princess, any specific ride?” Liam asked. “You can check the app on our phones for the wait times and to get the fastpasses but you can keep that map with you at all times to guide our way,”

“I want to go to Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, Buzz Lightyear’s and Space Mountain!” Charlotte told them.

“We have to be at Be Our Guest at one so let’s see if we can ride all of them before lunch,” Fallon unlocked her phone and tapped the app to check the attractions’ wait time. “I’m going to get the fastpass for Space Mountain but I think the others should be fine to go right after breakfast,”

“Ahhh!” Charlotte screamed when she felt two hands on her face coming from someone behind her and Fallon and Liam couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh my, what’s happening?” She asked confused when the pink character placed his hands on her waist and started lifting her from her chair. “Piglet!” Wrapping her arms around his neck, she hugged him as tight as she could.

“Charlie,” Liam called her name and when she turned around, she noticed Eeyore teasing Olivia, who was no longer sitting in her stroller but was standing up on her father’s legs.

“Eeyore!” The six years old exclaimed. “Can you take a photo, mom?”

“Take Piglet to your dad’s side and I will take one of you all together,” Fallon suggested.

“Come on, Piglet,” taking his head, Charlotte guided him towards Eeyore and stood between the two characters while Liam placed Olivia in her bigger sister’s arms.

“Take one just of them,” Liam stood up from his seat and stood behind to Fallon. “Liv! Smile for us, sweetheart!” He started making funny faces behind the camera and Charlotte bounced her a little bit in her arms to encourage her but it only took Eeyore to crouch down on the floor and kiss Olivia’s cheek for her to let out a loud laugh.

“Thank you! You guys are the best!” Charlotte thanked the two characters once they both signed down their autographs in her book.

“That’s probably my favorite one so far,” Liam spoke as Fallon scrolled through the photos she had just taken.

“Princess, you need to finish your eggs,” Fallon told her, “you don’t need to eat the entire waffle if you’re full but I want that bowl empty,” she pointed towards the half eaten bowl of scrambled eggs.

“Do you think Roo is here too?” Charlotte handed her sister back to Liam then walked around the table to finish her breakfast.

“I haven’t seen him yet, Charlie,” Liam replied, “but we can always search for him around the park if you want to get to the rides,”

After breakfast, the Ridley’s made a short stop at the Cinderella castle to take a few family photos with Liam’s professional camera. Charlotte was so excited she kept running around and making all kind of poses for her father, blowing him kisses, dancing and even jumping so Liam would take a photo of her in the air.

Liam probably took about a hundred photos of Charlotte before Fallon joined her for some mother and daughter shots and the matching outfits made them even more adorable. Fallon took her in her arms, settling her on the right side of her body and they posed together for Liam. He managed to capture some photos while they talked and laughed at each other and he could swear his heart melted when he was able to push the camera button at the same time Fallon leaned forward and gave her an eskimo kiss.

The huge castle in the background definitely helped but he just couldn’t stop staring at mother and daughter rubbing her noses against each other’s. Charlotte’s legs were wrapped around Fallon’s waist and her arms around her mother’s neck but the matching sequined ears was the most perfect final touch.

“You two are the most adorable Minnie’s in this entire park,” Liam smiled at them, “even better than Minnie herself,”

“Now with dad!” Charlotte asked.

Liam handed Fallon the camera then crouched down on the floor. Offering Charlotte his hands, he stood still, his feet glued to the ground as he helped her climb on his back. Fallon gave her the final boost she needed and helped her sit down on Liam’s shoulders, his hands holding the legs hanging in front of his chest as she gripped her fingers onto his t-shirt so she wouldn’t fall.

“Smile, you two!” Fallon exclaimed before capturing some photos.

When Charlotte felt she was completely secure, she raised her arms wide up in the air and smiled from ear to ear at the camera.

“Charlotte, hold tight,” Fallon instructed, “ _don’t_ let go, okay?”

Fallon unbuckled the seatbelt around Olivia’s body then pulled her baby girl out of the stroller. Approaching Liam, she settled the seven months old against his chest, adjusting his arms so he could carry Olivia while keeping a hold on Charlotte’s legs. Taking a few steps backwards, Fallon managed to capture a couple of photos of her happy family before Olivia started complaining about the uncomfortable position.

“Would you like a photo of the family?” An old lady with an Italian accent asked them as Charlotte got back on her feet and Fallon held Olivia in her arms.

“Of course, thank you,” Fallon offered her a smile. Liam took Charlotte up in his arms, settling her against the side of his body and they all turned to the camera.

“Off to Tomorrowland now!” Charlotte exclaimed once they were satisfied with their photoshoot in front of the castle.

“Which one first, Charlotte? Monsters Inc or Buzz Lightyear?” Fallon asked as they walked into the futuristic land.

“Liv can’t go to in the Buzz ride so only one of us can go with you, okay?” Liam told her.

“I could go with you and then you take your dad to Space Mountain,” the brunette suggested, “I’m not really in the mood for a roller coaster in the dark this early,” she giggled.

“That works!” Charlotte nodded. “We can go to Buzz first then,”

“Give me your handbag, Fal,” Liam offered, “I will be waiting with Olivia at the store, but take your phone with you just in case,” he suggested.

“I am _so_ excited!” Charlotte jumped up and down.

“Come on, princess, let’s go,” Fallon held her daughter’s small hand then gave Liam a quick peck on the lips before heading towards the fifteen minutes wait line.

Charlotte was so entertained with the dark and shiny walls at the line that she barely noticed the time. She stared in awe at all the planets and galaxies drawn on the walls and before she knew it, they were approaching the car.

“How many?” The boy at the gate asked.

“Two,” Fallon replied.

“You can go,” he offered them a smile and Charlotte rushed towards their assigned seat. “This is so exciting, mom!”

“I’m glad you’re happy, princess,” Fallon ran her hand through Charlotte’s hair before placing a kiss on the top of her head.

“Thank you, mom,” Charlotte scooted closer to Fallon and wrapped her arms around her mother, “you’re the best! Thanks for bringing us to Disney,” she kissed her cheek before sitting properly.

“You’re welcome, baby,” Fallon smiled, there was no greater feeling than have her daughter thank her and hug her like that. “I would do anything to see that smile on your face,” she spoke softly. “You have to shoot the targets when the car starts moving and we will both have scores... you can check them during the ride but I’m definitely beating you,”

“Oh no, you’re not!” Charlotte accepted the challenge. “I’ve got this!” She placed her hands on the laser and adjusted herself on her seat so she could focus. “Oh my god, it’s starting!”

The soundtrack began as they entered the dark tunnel filled with neon lights and characters from the Buzz Lightyear universe. Charlotte moved her laser from right to left so fast in an attempt of beating her mother that she was shooting aimlessly at literally everything while Fallon searched carefully for the targets to shoot straight at them.

When the first room ended, Charlotte looked at the screen to check their scores and groaned in disappointment when she noticed Fallon was _way_ ahead of her.

“This is so not fair!” Charlotte whined.

“Focus on the targets, baby, you’re shooting everywhere and you’re probably not getting the laser on them,” Fallon explained. “Try moving the laser a bit slower,”

The ride turned out to be a lot more exciting when Charlotte managed to hit the targets better and realized her score was close to Fallon’s. She was still a few points behind but she was trying her best to win. Fallon glanced at her for a moment and couldn’t help but laugh at how concentrated Charlotte looked, biting on her bottom lip as she focused on the targets to her right.

“Noooooo!” Charlotte screamed when the car stopped and the lights turned on. They had reached the end of the ride and she was still five points behind Fallon. “I can’t believe I lost!” She groaned, jumping off the car.

“You played well, Charlie,” Fallon told her, “your score was great,”

“But yours was better,” Charlotte murmured, reaching for her mother’s hand as they headed for the attraction’s exit. “Dad!” She ran towards her father when she spotted him inside the ride’s shop.

“Look at this, Charlotte!” Liam showed her a Buzz Lightyear bathrobe and a small Woody one.

“Oh my god, we _need_ to get those!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Ollie and I will be the coolest toys back at home!” She exclaimed. “Oh, looks like you got yourself a new toy, Ollie,” she giggled when she noticed her sister hugging the twelve inches tall Lotso in the stroller. “And he _does_ smell like strawberries!” She mentioned while leaning closer to her sister and the pink bear.

“These will be a present from daddy for you two, okay?” Liam offered her a smile, “but you can look around and see if you would like anything else, if you want,”

“I’m happy with the robe, daddy,” Charlotte smiled.

“Okay. How was the ride?” Liam asked.

“Mom won,” Charlotte rolled her eyes.

“You didn’t let her win?” He turned at Fallon with a surprised look on his face.

“Mom doesn’t do that,” Charlotte exclaimed as they reached the cashier, “she says if I get special treatment I will never learn and I will never be a real competitor,”

“Who says _that_ to a child, Fallon?” Liam’s eyes widened. He slid the bathrobe towards the blonde woman across the counter but when he tried to reach for the bear, Olivia screamed so loud some people even turned towards the noise.

“You can leave that with her, that’s okay,” the blonde offered him a smile.

“Mom’s right, dad,” Charlotte looked at him, “next time I’m playing against her, I’m doing my best to beat her! I was a little lost at the beginning but now my head’s totally in the game,” she explained.

“You two are so weird,” Liam shook his head. “Monsters Inc now?”

“Yes!” Charlotte nodded. “Ollie can go too, right?”

“She can, yes,” Fallon replied, “but we need to leave the stroller parked outside so we gotta take the backpack and my handbag with us,” she told her, “do you think you can carry my handbag, princess?”

“Of course, mom,” Charlotte smiled, hanging the Minnie handbag on her right shoulder.

“Let’s go on your first ride, pumpkin?” Liam giggled at his baby girl before taking her from the stroller. “You want Lotso to go with us?” He bounced her slightly in his arms.

“Ehh!” Olivia shook her brand new teddy bear in front of him.

Fallon threw the backpack over her shoulder then closed the bottom compartment of the stroller to keep the diaper bag safe in there. She parked the stroller next to all the others then reached for Charlotte’s hand.

“I really hope she likes it,” Liam mentioned as they walked down the line, “otherwise we’re in serious trouble,” he laughed.

“I’m sure she will love it,” Charlotte told him, “she loves Mike Wazowski!” She exclaimed in a sharp voice and Olivia let out a loud laugh. “See? Mike Wazowski!” She repeated, a bit louder and pointing towards the green monster on the wall next to them.

Olivia turned in Liam’s arms and leaned forward, placing both hands on the wall before resting her head on her favorite character of the movie. “Ahh!” She screamed.

“Mike Wazowski!” Charlotte jumped her way towards the theatre’s entrance and Olivia just couldn’t stop laughing at the way her sister was speaking Mike’s name.

As the movie started rolling on the large screen in front of them, both Fallon and Liam turned their attention to their youngest girl, waiting to see her reaction. Her eyes were glued to the screen and for a moment, they both worried she wasn’t enjoying it and would start crying at any minute until one of the doors opened and Mike appeared on the screen.

“Hello, humans!” The green monster screamed and Olivia pushed herself up on her feet, standing on Liam’s legs while extending her hand as she tried to reach the screen.

“Hi!” Charlotte screamed along with all the other kids.

“Oh very good!” Mike exclaimed, “I’m Mike Wazowski and that’s Wazowski with one eye,” he finished his joke by pointing to the only eye he had on his large ball head and everyone at the theatre burst out laughing, including the seven months old Ridley who couldn’t stop bouncing on her father’s lap.

“Welcome to the Laugh Floor!” The green monster continued.

“Told you she was crazy about Mike,” Charlotte whispered at her parents.

“Aaah!” Olivia exclaimed as Mike continued to talk.

The fifteen minutes movie went by fast and both girls seemed to have enjoyed it a lot. Much to Fallon and Liam’s surprise, the attraction managed to keep Olivia’s attention during the entire time, even when Mike was no longer on the screen and other monsters started telling the jokes. She had laughed so much her cheeks were dark pink by the time they walked out of the building.

“Anything from the shop, Miss Ridley?” Liam asked his girl.

“I think it’s only fair we give her a stuffed Mike,” Charlotte shrugged.

“I _just_ bought her a new stuffed animal,” he countered.

“ _I_ will buy it for her then,” Charlotte stated. Walking towards the wall of stuffed animals, she reached for the medium size green monster. It took her only five minutes to pay for it with her magic band before returning to her parents with the shopping bag.

“If we keep up with this, we’re gonna need another stroller,” Liam laughed, placing Olivia back down in the stroller.

“Here, Ollie,” Charlotte pulled the stuffed monster out of the bag and handed it to her, “aww, she loves it,” the young brunette smiled.

“She does,” Fallon mentioned when Olivia wrapped one arm around Lotso and the other around Mike, “that was really sweet of you, Charlie. It makes daddy and I very happy that you’d buy a gift for your sister,”

“I love her,” Charlotte spoke softly, “and she deserves it for being such a nice baby at the attraction,”

“You’re an amazing sister, princess,” Liam ran his hand delicately through her hair.

“Babe, I need to change her diaper and breastfeed,” Fallon started, “I will stay close but take your phone with you,”

“The fastpass is in yours,” Liam mentioned.

“Then give me yours and you can take mine,” Fallon suggested, “just call me if I’m not at the exit when you get out, alright?”

“Okay,” Liam nodded, “are you ready for your first roller coaster, princess?”

“Yes!” Charlotte threw her arms up in the air.

“Let’s go then,” Liam switched phone with Fallon then locked his fingers in Charlotte’s as they walked towards Space Mountain.

* * *

Fallon was sitting right outside Space Mountain when Liam and Charlotte stepped out of the store. Olivia was lying in her arms, her face snuggled against Fallon’s chest as she slept peacefully. She hadn’t napped that morning and after all the excitement from the Monsters Inc attraction and finally getting her milk, it didn’t take her longer than five minutes to fall asleep after burping.

“Mom! That was so amazing!” Charlotte ran towards Fallon but covered her mouth with her hand when she noticed Olivia was sleeping. “Sorry,” she whispered.

“Everything okay?” Liam ran a hand through Fallon’s hair.

“Yeah,” she nodded, “she kept falling asleep on my breasts and I had to wake her up a few times but I think she had enough for now,”

“How can Ollie sleep? She’s at Disney World!” Charlotte sat down by Fallon’s side, staring at the sleeping baby in her mother’s arms.

“Fallon,” Liam called out, “what is she wearing?” He asked confused when he realized she had been wearing a gray onesie before he and Charlotte went to Space Mountain but was sporting an entirely different look at that moment.

“I _might_ have dropped her second outfit on the bathroom floor and I didn’t want to dress her in it,” Fallon admitted.

“It’s Sulley’s outfit, daddy,” Charlotte ran her hand gently over her sister’s leg, tracing the purple dots on the turquoise long sleeved footed jumpsuit, “now she’s matching her best friend Mike,”

“Now that Olivia is wearing a costume, what do you say we search for your Belle dress so we can go to the Beast castle for lunch?” Liam asked. “That roller coaster made me hungry,”

“I can take us there with my map,” Charlotte walked around the stroller and searched the backpack for the map Liam had given her earlier that morning. “Okay, if Space Mountain is behind me then we need to go right and then turn left after Mad Tea Party,” she explained, “oh I wanna go there!”

“We can choose a few more attractions to ride after lunch, princess,” Fallon replied while settling Olivia in the stroller, “but let’s focus on getting some food first, alright?” She set the stuffed animals on her legs for a moment to adjust the seatbelt around the baby’s small body before placing them back next to her.

“Daddy, can you carry me?” Charlotte asked softly.

“You tired already?” Liam countered. “I thought you didn’t get tired at Disney World,” he teased her.

“My feet could use some rest,” she shrugged.

“I will carry you until we get to the store but then those legs are back to work,” placing one hand on each side of her waist, he pulled her up and settled her against the right side of his body.

“Thank you,” Charlotte kissed his cheek.

“It’s okay if you want to take a nap too, Charlotte,” Fallon told her, “we can find a quiet spot and you can sleep for a little while...”

“We can’t waste time, mom,”

“Princess, you’re a big girl but you’re still six and you woke up very early this morning,” she explained, “it’s okay if you need to rest. I know you’re excited but give your body some time to regain all that energy, baby,”

“Maybe a nap after lunch wouldn’t be _so_ bad...” Charlotte murmured as a yawn escaped her lips.

The walk to Fantasyland was peaceful and quite relaxing for the parents as Olivia continued to sleep soundly and Charlotte seemed more interested on snuggling against her father than on the park itself. She was fighting hard to keep her eyes open because she didn’t want to miss anything but she remained quiet, taking a break from all the chatting and screams of excitement.

When they reached the Beauty and the Beast area, the family’s first stop was the themed shop so they could look for Charlotte’s costume. As soon as they walked into the store, Liam and Fallon couldn’t help but laugh at the dozens of little girls trying on princess’ dresses.

“This is _exactly_ why I’m gonna buy the blue dress,” Charlotte sighed as Liam set her down on the floor. “Those girls are so not original,”

“Can I record that?” Liam asked. “Just so I can play it at the Frozen shop when you ask for Elsa’s dress,”

“That was so rude, Mr. Ridley,” Charlotte rolled her eyes and Fallon let out a loud laugh at their daughter’s reply.

“Let’s go find your Belle dress first, okay?” Liam placed one hand on her upper back and guided her towards the clothing section.

“This is my size,” Charlotte reached for the dress. “Could you get me a bow?” She pointed to the hair accessories located on one of the top shelves.

“Of course,” Liam handed her the large blue bow, “anything else?”

“Can we have this?” They were walking through the store when Charlotte noticed the set of Mrs. Potts teapot and four Chip mugs inside a glass box. “It’s so pretty!” Her eyes sparkled.

“They are quite expensive, princess,” Liam read the small tag next to it. “The teapot is fifty bucks and each mug is over twenty, Charlotte. You’re already buying the costume, are you sure you want to spend that much on a tea set?”

“You think I shouldn’t?” Charlotte sounded upset.

“I think you should consider how much you’re going to use it, Charlie,” Liam spoke softly. “You don’t even like tea and I think it’s an expensive set for you to keep on a shelf in your room,”

“But it’s Mrs. Potts,” she murmured, “and Chip!”

“Princess, you have the money so it’s your choice. If you think it’s worth it, then buy it,” Liam told her.

“Can’t you just give it to me as a gift?” Charlotte suggested.

“I’ve already given you a gift, Charlotte,”

“I need financial advice. Can you wait here for five minutes?” Liam nodded and she pushed the dress and bow against his belly for him to hold for her before running out of the shop.

“Hi, Charlie,” Fallon offered her a smile, “where’s dad?”

“Inside. I need advice,” Charlotte sat down on the bench across from Fallon and stared up at her mother. “There’s this beautiful tea set of Mrs. Potts and Chip and I really want it but daddy said it’s too expensive since I don’t even drink tea,”

“He has a point,” Fallon replied.

“But I want it, mom,” Charlotte murmured, “I want it so much!”

“Did you come here for advice or to use your tears and puppy eyes to convince me to buy it for you?” Fallon teased her.

“Advice?” Charlotte whispered.

“Wise answer,” Fallon laughed.

“I need $150 to buy the full set... you know how much I have so do you think I can spend that much?” She asked.

“I think it’s okay to spend that amount as long as you don’t buy any other expensive thing today,” Fallon advised. “We still have half the day ahead of us and every shop is different so you might find something that you like even more. If you think you like the tea set enough for it to be your only expensive purchase of the day then I think it’s okay to buy it,”

“I won’t go bankrupt?” Charlotte asked.

“No, baby,” Fallon giggled, “you won’t go bankrupt,”

“Will I still have enough for crystal Olaf?” She continued.

“We’re still going to talk about that crystal Olaf, Charlotte,” Fallon’s tone changed into a more serious one, “the tea set is one thing, but a Swarovski crystal snowman is a whole new level...”

“But you’re sure I will still have enough money _even_ if I buy the tea set?”

“Yes, yes you will,” Fallon reassured her.

“Okay, thanks mom!” Charlotte smiled before heading back into the store. “Daddy, we are getting the set!”

“Oh no, please tell me you didn’t cry until your mom said she’s buying it for you?” Liam groaned.

“She didn’t even _budge_!” Charlotte threw her arms up in the air. “I think I’m losing my touch... maybe it’s because I’m growing up and my puppy eyes don’t look as adorable anymore,”

“Are you using your money then?” Liam asked. “Excuse me, could you get us a set, please?” He asked one of the salesmen.

“Yes, of course. You can wait for me at the counter and I will bring one to you,” he instructed.

The young man returned a couple of minutes later with a large wooden box with “Beauty and the Beast” written in gold letters on top of it. At the cashier, he opened the box and carefully removed the bubble wrap from each mug to show Liam they were in perfect condition before doing the same for the teapot.

“This is an extraordinary purchase, little one,” he offered Charlotte a smile. “I’m sure you’re going to have amazing tea parties with it. Our shop is giving a pin to everyone that buys anything over $99 in house items so you can choose one,” he pulled a black velvet tray from under the counter and slid it towards the six years old.

“For free?” Charlotte’s eyes widened.

“Yes,” he laughed.

“Oh my god, so many options!”

“I like this one,” Liam pointed at the one of Belle dancing with the Beast in the yellow gown.

“Great choice, daddy, we will take that one please!” Charlotte told the man.

* * *

“Charlie’s so cute in this one,” Liam turned the screen towards Fallon to show her the photo of Charlotte and Belle reading a book together.

They had gone to Enchanted Tales with Belle to meet the princess right after lunch but when Charlotte wouldn’t stop yawning and kept asking for Liam to carry her, they decided to stop for some well deserved rest at a quick service ice cream shop near the Seven Dwarfs ride.

“She really is,” Fallon smiled, glancing down at the sleeping girl in Liam’s arms.

Olivia had finally woken up and was sitting on Fallon’s legs while her mother fed her tiny pieces of fruit, but sleep had hit their eldest like a rock. As soon as they sat down and Liam took her in his arms, she closed her eyes and fell asleep in a matter of minutes while resting against his chest.

“You do know she’s going to be very mad when she finds out we ordered ice cream while she napped,” Liam laughed, taking a spoonful of ice cream from the sundae they were currently sharing.

“Then we won’t tell her,” Fallon whispered before she resumed the airplane sounds to feed Olivia a piece of strawberry.

“Ehh,” she leaned forward and pushed one of her hands inside the small plastic bowl.

“Liv,” Fallon sighed, “mommy is giving it to you, you don’t need to make a mess, sweetheart,” she tried to explain but Olivia remained firm on her task of reaching for the blueberry.

“Let’s keep in mind to bring at least five outfits for her from now on,” Liam laughed when some of the liquid from the fruit salad ended up on her legs instead of on the bib, “not that I mind you dressing her up in cute Disney outfits because she looks adorable as Sulley but we should be prepared for the worst,”

“No, no, you can’t have this one,” Fallon shook her head. She was just about to take the spoon to her own mouth when Olivia lifted her chin and opened her mouth to accept the ice cream. “You can have ice cream when you turn two,” she said before taking another bite of the dessert.

“You’re eating ice cream in front of her and you expect her to stick to a fruit salad?” Liam teased. “That’s even worse than eating a sundae while Charlotte is asleep,” he giggled.

“Mommy is just doing what’s best for you right, pumpkin?” Fallon bounced her legs and Olivia laughed when her body started trembling. “You don’t need this fatty dessert when you can have healthy fruit,”

“Then you don’t mind if I do what’s best for you and eat the whole sundae while you share the fruit with Olivia?” Liam reached for the tall glass and slid it towards him.

“Excuse me,” Fallon covered his hand with hers and pulled the glass back to her, “but I’m on vacation and I deserve some ice cream,” she rolled her eyes at him. “Besides, this fruit salad is for a baby. I would probably need ten to keep me satisfied,” she laughed.

Much to their surprise, Charlotte napped for over an hour. Their sundae was long gone and Fallon even walked around Fantasyland with Olivia for a couple of minutes to entertain her while Liam stayed with sleeping Charlotte. They didn’t go far but the baby seemed to enjoy quite a lot the train moving fast at the Seven Dwarfs roller coaster. She laughed every time the train appeared in front of them, some kids laughing and others screaming at the top of their lungs.

“Where are we going now?” Charlotte asked as they stepped out of the restaurant. She rubbed her hand over her eyes and let out a long but rested yawn.

“We got the fastpass for the Seven Dwarfs ride and for the Mad Tea Party,” Liam told her, “which one do you wanna ride first?”

“The roller coaster,” she replied, “so I can wake up properly,”

“Do you want to go with her, Fal?” Liam asked.

“Can’t you go?”

“Are you scared?” Liam couldn’t help but laugh.

“ _No_ ,” she shook her head.

“Fallon, the train is just fast... there’s not even a big drop,” Liam told her, “it’s a _kids_ attraction, babe,”

“Alright, alright,” Fallon sighed, “Olivia needs a new diaper anyway so good luck with that,” she handed him their youngest while reaching for her eldest daughter’s hand.

“I need to get her new clothes,” Liam mentioned when he noticed her costume was stained with all kinds of fruit. “Just call me when you’re out,”

While the girls rode the roller coaster, Liam made a quick stop at one of the nearby stores to get Olivia some clean clothes, choosing a pink long sleeved onesie with the Cheshire cat and plain gray pants with the cat’s face on its feet.

The fastpass line was short and the ride itself wasn’t long so it took no longer than half an hour for Fallon and Charlotte to meet him and Olivia near the Mad Tea Party ride. Charlotte was jumping in excitement and talking as much as she could while they approached them, which meant their peaceful hours post lunch were over.

“That was so awesome, dad!” Charlotte told him. “You’re gonna love it! Can I go again? You can come with me,” she jumped up and down, “please, please, please,”

“The wait time is almost one hour, princess. Why don’t we see if we can get a fastpass for later this afternoon?” He pulled his phone out of his pocket and tapped the Disney app as soon as the screen unlocked.

“Ah ah!” Olivia screamed, kicking her legs as she pointed at the Mad Tea Party with her tiny index finger.

“Hold on, baby,” Liam passed the phone over to Charlotte so he could adjust his grip on Olivia. “We’re going, Liv, I promise,”

“Give her to me, babe,” Fallon placed her hands on her daughter’s side and pulled her towards her chest but Olivia insisted on leaning closer to the colorful attraction.

"Ehh! Olivia groaned, clearly quite unsatisfied with how long it was taking them to get to the ride. Once she was changed and dressed in clean clothes, they spent a few minutes watching the families play in the teacups and she just couldn't wait to play in them too.

"We're done," Charlotte announced.

Reaching for the backpack under the stroller, Liam put his phone on the front pocket then threw it over his shoulder, adjusting both straps before leaning forward to retrieve Fallon's handbag.

"Oh my god, are we leaving my tea set in the stroller?" Charlotte panicked. "What if someone takes it? What if they kidnap Mrs. Potts?" Her eyes widened.

"Your tea set will be just fine, Charlie," Fallon spoke as she opened the backpack and pulled out a small fleece blanket. Bending over, she laid the diaper bag down then placed Lotso on top of it and Mike on top of the Beauty and the Beast wooden box before throwing the blanket over them. "Better?" She asked her daughter.

"Yes, it is," Charlotte smiled brightly.

"Let's go then,"

The line to the ride was quite short but during the fifteen minutes it took the Ridley’s to get to the small gate that led to the teacups, Olivia bounced in Fallon's arms in excitement.

"Family of four?" The young girl asked them. "You can take the yellow cup,"

"Alright, let's do this, people!" Charlotte jumped inside the teacup and slid all the way to the back before placing her hands on the wheel while Fallon and Liam got in.

Liam set the backpack next to him then threw an arm over Charlotte's shoulder, hugging her closer to him before placing a kiss on the top of her head. Once everyone was ready in their teacups, the ride started and the round floor started moving.

"Weeeee," Charlotte exclaimed, spinning the wheel as fast as she could.

"Charlotte!" Fallon screamed. In a reflex, she tightened her arms around Olivia's body but her own body tilted to the right when she didn't have any free hand to hold onto the teacup.

Liam managed to reach for his wife's upper arm, preventing her from sliding any further on the smooth surface of the seat while using his other hand to stop the wheel. Olivia stopped squirming in her mother's arms right away and before either Liam or Fallon could say anything, she burst out crying.

"That wasn't nice, Charlotte," Liam ran a hand through his hair.

"Shh, baby, it's okay, mommy's here," Fallon turned Olivia around, holding the seven months old chest to chest against her while she ran a hand softly up and down her back.

"I'm sorry..." Charlotte looked at Liam with tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry..." She murmured.

"Try spinning it a little bit, Liam," Fallon suggested, "it might sooth her,"

"You want to do it?" Liam asked Charlotte.

"I'm not touching this anymore," Charlotte took her hands off the wheel and crossed her arms against her chest, "this ride sucks,"

Fallon leaned her cheek against Olivia's head, whispering a soft lullaby for her in an attempt of calming her down while Liam spun the teacup ever so lightly.

"You shouldn't have done that, Charlotte," Liam continued. "You scared your sister and your mom almost fell because she couldn't hold onto the cup,"

"I apologize," Charlotte's tone was low and almost a whisper. "I didn't mean to scare you, Ollie," she held her sister's tiny hand, running her thumb over her soft baby skin. "I'm so sorry, Ollie,"

"Come here," Liam pulled Charlotte to sit on his legs than scooted closer to Fallon, keeping one arm around his daughter while he threw the other over his wife's shoulder. "Spin it gently, princess," he encouraged her.

Once the crying stopped, Fallon sat Olivia down on her legs and placed her small hands on the wheel so she could copy her sister's movement. Charlotte leaned closer to her and kissed her forehead before offering her sister another apology. Fallon and Liam exchanged looks and decided not to be too hard on their little girl as she seemed sorry enough but decided to give her a choice to redeem herself with her sister as they watched them interact.

"Like this, Ollie," Charlotte covered one of her hands with her own and started spinning the wheel. "You like this?" She asked, giggling at her baby sister who replied with a loud laugh. "You do! I'm sorry I spun too fast, I'm not going to do that again, don't worry,"

"That's my girl," Liam whispered at Charlotte, leaning forward to give her a kiss.

"Ahh!" Olivia screamed when Charlotte increased the speed just a little bit before changing the direction of the teacup.

"Do that again," Fallon asked.

"Weee," Charlotte started spinning to the other side and Olivia bounced on Fallon's legs, hitting the wheel with her palms as she laughed from ear to ear. "She likes that, mom,"

"She does, princess," Fallon offered her a smile, "but next time we ride with your sister, you need to consider that she may not enjoy everything you do... she got quite scared when you spun the teacup too fast," she explained, "this kind of abrupt movement feels even faster for her because she's very small so you have to be more careful, alright?"

"I promise to be more careful, mom,"

"You can increase the speed if you want to go faster," Liam added, "but do it little by little and keep an eye on Olivia as you do it so you can see if she's enjoying it or not," he explained, "if she's not happy, you stop, alright?"

"How is this, Ollie?" Charlotte started spinning faster and Liam could swear he saw tears coming out of his youngest's eyes as she laughed as loud as she had laughed during Mike's show at the Monsters Inc attraction.

"I think _she's_ enjoying it but I feel like throwing up, to be honest," Fallon admitted, looking up at the ceiling as she tried to concentrate on not emptying her stomach right in the middle of the yellow teacup.

"Oh no," Charlotte and Liam spoke at the same time.

"Charlotte, stop," Fallon's hand flew to her mouth as she felt the beginning of an acid reflux episode.

"Deep breaths, Fal, deep breaths," Liam said softly, "the floor is slowing down. The ride is almost over, babe, just take deep breaths,"

When the teacups finally stopped moving, Charlotte was the first to step off, offering her hand to help Fallon get out. Liam gathered their stuff as fast as possible then settled Olivia against his side, placing a hand on Fallon's lower back as they exited the attraction.

"I don't feel good," Fallon mumbled.

Liam noticed there were a couple of empty tables at the Cheshire Café a few feet down the attraction then guided his girls towards one of them. Fallon sat down as soon as they reached the small iron table and Charlotte climbed right next to her mother.

"Charlotte, stay with mom," Liam spoke seriously. "I will be back in a minute,"

He rushed into the café with Olivia and luckily, there were only two people waiting in line to order, so he was able to return to them in about five minutes. Charlotte was standing up on the bench right behind Fallon, running her fingers softly through her mother's long brown waves as Fallon held her face in her hands while taking deep breaths.

"Fal, look at me," Liam asked, "come on, babe, this will help," he set one of her hands down and positioned the straw right in front of her mouth so all she had to do was suck on it.

"What is it?"

"Ginger ale, you'll feel better," Liam replied, "small sips, Fal, small sips," he instructed when she finally accepted the beverage. "Honey, can you give this to your mom?" He handed her a paper bag with a plain bagel. "Tiny pieces between the sips. I just need five minutes to go get Olivia's stroller,"

"Of course," Charlotte took a seat in front of Fallon and offered her a piece of bagel. "You have to eat this, mommy,"

Fallon took another deep breath before setting the plastic cup down on the table. Reaching for the piece Charlotte was holding, she took it to her mouth and began chewing on it slowly.

"Now take another sip," she instructed.

"Oh good, your face has color again," Liam let out a breath in relief when he returned to the table. "Keep eating, Fal," he ran a hand through her hair as he watched Charlotte feed her another piece of the bagel.

"How are you feeling, mom?" Charlotte asked.

"I think I'm okay," Fallon replied with a smile.

"Take your time, babe, but try to eat the whole bagel and drink all the soda," Liam told her. "Are you hungry, Charlie?"

"Can we have popcorn?" She pointed towards the popcorn cart a few feet from them.

"Yes, watch your sister while I get it, alright?" Charlotte nodded, turning the stroller towards her so she could keep an eye on Olivia while she helped her mother get better.

"Do you still wanna throw up, mom?" She asked.

"No, not anymore, baby,"

"I'm sorry I made you sick," Charlotte spoke softly. "I made Olivia cry, I made you sick... I'm so sorry, mommy,"

"It's okay, Charlie," Fallon offered her a smile, "you've learned that you shouldn't do that when your sister is riding with us but my nausea is not really your fault... my stomach just wasn't very happy with the ride,"

"Here, princess," Liam handed her the Goofy and Pluto popcorn bucket, "you can get free refills all day if you take the bucket to one of the carts,"

"Free popcorn?" Charlotte's eyes sparkled. "Are we in heaven?"

"No, I believe it's just Disney World, Charlie," Liam laughed.

"No wonder this is the happiest place on Earth!" Charlotte opened the bucket and smelled the fresh scent of warm popcorn before she started eating. "Mom, any chance Fallon Unlimited can move to Orlando? I would like to live here,"

"Not really, princess, we're pretty solid in Atlanta," Fallon shook her head, giggling at her daughter's wish.

"Well, that's a shame," Charlotte sighed before filling her mouth with popcorn. "Want some?" She glanced between her parents.

"You have to chew and swallow before speaking, Charlotte. Remember?" Liam rolled his eyes. Charlotte nodded and offered him a thumbs up as she chewed.

"Do you wanna ride Dumbo with them?" Fallon laid her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "I don't really think I can ride anything that moves in circles,"

"Are you sure, mommy?"

"Yes, princess, I'm sure," Fallon offered her a smile before eating the last piece of her bagel. "You and daddy are still going on the Seven Dwarfs ride so I will just stay here and get some rest,"

"I will bring Olivia back right after we ride Dumbo then," Liam spoke up, "the medicine bag is inside my backpack so take something if you still don't feel good," he looked at Fallon while standing up. "There are also some salty crackers in case you need them,"

"You can also eat some of my popcorn, if you want,"

"I'm fine, guys, don't worry," Fallon pulled him down for a quick kiss on the lips, "if I was able to survive two pregnancies with killer morning sickness than I can overcome a stupid teacup nausea," she laughed.

"Okay, Fal, but I will have my phone so just call me if you need anything,"

"Liam, I'm _fine_!" She smiled. "Enjoy this ride with your girls... I will be right here when you get back,"

_A few hours later..._

"Charlotte's stories turned out pretty good," Liam commented as he checked his Instagram.

Fallon closed the door behind her then placed the baby monitor on the coffee table before joining Liam on the couch. Olivia had barely watched five minutes of the Happily Ever After firework show before falling asleep in her stroller even with all the loud noises and screaming around her.

Charlotte had been in charge of the photos for the first few minutes of the show but soon decided she would enjoy the show a lot more if she was sitting on Liam's shoulder. When the show ended, however, Charlotte didn't even make her way back to the floor before falling asleep in her father's arms.

The ride back to the hotel was quiet, both girls sound asleep as the exhaustion from such a lovely day at the Magic Kingdom hit them. Charlotte's hand was resting between his shoulder and one of her cheeks and she even snored lightly on his ear - exactly like Fallon slept when they cuddled in bed together - and that's how they knew she was definitely gone for the night.

While their eldest daughter slept like her mother, their baby's sleeping pattern resembled her father's perfectly. She was sprawled out in the stroller, her legs extended stretched out all the way towards its end and her arms up, resting on each side of her head. Her mouth was slightly open and her chest moved up and down softly as she joined her sister in the dream's world.

"Look at this photo, Fal," Liam showed her the black and white photo Charlotte had taken of them during the show. He had pulled Fallon in for a kiss right after the fireworks began and apparently, Charlotte had managed to capture that moment with his phone and he couldn't be prouder of his little girl for giving them such a beautiful photo.

"Aww, I love it!" Fallon leaned closer to him, settling her feet on the couch as she snuggled against his chest. "Send it to me. I’m gonna post it to my feed,”

"I added all of them to a shared album between us," Liam wrapped an arm around her.

"You're the best," Fallon yawned, "I need a shower..."

"We both do," Liam laughed. "I'm just not sure my legs can handle that walk,"

"Well, they are both down for the night..." Fallon looked up at him. "What do you say we _share_ that shower before going to bed?" She started kissing her way up his neck until she reached his earlobe. "We had an amazing time at the park with the girls, but I think mommy and daddy deserve some fun of their own now..." she bit on the soft cartilage before teasing his ear with her tongue.

“Didn’t you just heard me complain about how tired my legs are?” Liam countered.

“Oh babe, come on,”

"Aren't you tired?" Liam tightened his grip around her, pulling her even closer to him as she teased him.

"For you?" Fallon asked, surprised with his question, "never, babe," she threw him a wink before getting up from the couch, his hand locked in hers as she pulled him towards the bathroom.

* * *

"Look, Ollie, otters!" Charlotte pointed at the fluffy animals swimming just a few feet from them.

"Aahh!" Olivia screamed, kicking her legs in excitement.

Liam had chosen to wear the baby carrier that day so Olivia could see everything while secured against his chest. The stroller was useful for naps and to store the diaper bag, their backpack and even the shopping bags they got throughout the day, but it didn't allow Olivia too see much of the things around her. As soon as they walked into Animal Kingdom, her eyes shone and she wouldn't stop babbling as she looked around the park, staring at everything carefully and in so much awe.

The seven months old baby wore an all pink outfit that day, one of Fallon's favorites which she had bought at Moschino a couple of weeks back. The sun was shining brightly that day, not a single cloud in the blue sky and it was considerably warm for a March morning so she wore a light pink short sleeved onesie and matching pink leather sandals with the famous black logo printed on the front and the signature teddy bear on the toes. For the final touch, Olivia wore a cotton summer hat in the same pink tone and plenty of Moschino teddy bears printed all over it. Charlotte had dressed in a polka dot skirt and a white t-shirt that morning before choosing a light-colored hat to protect her face from the sun.

Besides getting both girls to wear hats that day, Fallon had covered them in so much sunscreen that Charlotte had complained about being sticky and gross the whole drive to the park. Eventually, Charlotte just gave up when she noticed her mother would only add more SPF 50 cream to her white as snow skin if she kept arguing.

As they walked up the trail towards the Tree of Life, both Charlotte and Olivia seemed quite entertained with the animals they saw along the way. The otters were having a lot of fun swimming with each other, holding hands and some were even splashing water at each other but what really caught their youngest attention were the large pink flamingos.

"Ehh! Ehh!" Olivia turned her neck around and gestured at the beautiful animals as she tried to get her father's attention towards them.

"You like the flamingos, sweetheart?" Liam asked and the baby girl jumped up and down in the carrier.

"They are so pretty," Charlotte commented, "the otters are cuter though,"

"We're going to see a lot of animals today, Liv," Liam spoke softly.

"Dad, mom, look!" Charlotte pointed at the two characters who had just stopped by the Tree of Life. There was an employee organizing the line for photos and autographs and in a matter of minutes, a line of small kids appeared only a few feet from where they stood.

"Let's get your autograph book and the camera, princess," Fallon reached for the backpack under the stroller and pulled the two items out with ease.

"Come on, Fal, you gotta let me take a photo of you, babe," Liam had been teasing her from the moment he saw her walk out of the bedroom with her chosen outfit. She was wearing a dark green designer dress with flute sleeves and black adidas superstars on her feet but what amused Liam so much were the large black hat on her head, the wide Prada sunglasses on her eyes and the bright red lipstick on her lips. "Only you would come to an amusement park in that kind of outfit,"

"Mom looks like the queen of safari!" Charlotte explained and Liam let out a loud laugh at his daughter's description of Fallon.

"Not only is she wearing a fancy outfit but she dressed you both in Moschino today," Liam told her, "I'm starting to feel quite underdressed," he looked down at his blue jeans and plain black polo shirt.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't choose your own clothes next time," Charlotte shrugged, "mommy always knows the best outfits!"

"Excuse me but this is Ralph Lauren," he pointed at his shirt.

"I think you would look better in a Goofy hat," Charlotte mentioned. "We can search for one after I take a photo with Thumper and Miss Bunny,"

"Who are those bunnies anyway?" Liam questioned.

"They're from Bambi, dad," she responded, "mommy said you don't want to watch the movie because you cry when his mother dies,"

"I do _not_!" Liam turned towards Fallon in complete disbelief.

"Yes, you do, babe," Fallon laughed, handing Charlotte her book before turning on the camera and adjusting the lenses.

"Wait..." He paused. "A goofy hat?!" He was shocked. "Are you making fun of your father, Miss Ridley?"

"Of course not, Mr. Ridley," Charlotte replied instantly, "I'm just simply stating the fact that you would look _prettier_ if you were wearing a hat like all of us are!"

"Yeah, _right_ ," Liam groaned sarcastically.

"I will be right back, Liam," Fallon locked Charlotte's hand in hers so they could head for the line.

It didn't take long for Olivia to get bored with the flamingos, so Liam reached for the stroller and met Charlotte and Fallon as soon as they were done meeting the two bunnies. When they finally got to the Tree of Life, they took their time taking family photos but mostly just Charlotte posing in every way possible photos.

As Charlotte ran back and forth, screaming for Fallon to catch her, Liam managed to capture great shots of his wife and daughter playing but sometimes he would focus mainly on Fallon.

When Fallon finally caught Charlotte, Liam pushed the button right as they both put their hands on the top of their hats to keep them from falling off their heads. Fallon had one arm wrapped around Charlotte, her palm flat on the six years old back while she leaned over her daughter to kiss her.

"No, not with the red lipstick!" Charlotte screamed, trying to move her face out of the way and Liam couldn't stop laughing. "Oh no!" She sighed when her mother pressed her lips to one of her cheeks.

"Charlotte, look at me!" Liam called out. "Fal, kiss her again," he instructed.

Fallon picked her up in her arms, making sure Charlotte's already marked cheek was showing for the camera then placed a kiss on her other cheek while Liam snapped more photos of them. In the first few photos, Charlotte was pouting, clearly not amused with her mother staining her skin with red lipstick but when Fallon started tickling her body, she started laughing so hard she didn't even mind her mother covering her face with kisses.

"They look great!" Liam told them.

"Please, mom, tell me you brought make up remover," Charlotte pulled Liam's iPhone out of his pocket and started rubbing her fingers against her cheeks to get rid of the red stains while using the front camera as a mirror.

"This is matte lipstick, Charlotte, they're supposed to last for hours on the lips,"

"Oh no, I'm not walking around the park for hours with red smacks on my face!" She sounded horrified.

"I meant they don't come out that easy, Charlotte," Fallon couldn't help but laugh at her daughter's panic, "which means they didn't even stain your face that much when I kissed you," she explained, running her thumb over her face softly, "see? Your face is white again,"

"Oh, thank god," she sighed.

"Liam, can you get Charlie on your shoulders so I can take a photo of the three of you like we did yesterday?" Fallon asked him.

"Yeah, of course," Liam nodded, "it's definitely easier with Olivia in the baby carrier," he crouched down on the floor and helped Charlotte climb on his shoulders.

"Careful not to kick your sister, princess," Fallon instructed as Charlotte adjusted her legs in front of her father and Olivia in between them. "Perfect,"

"Join that pretty family of yours, dear," an elder couple appeared next to Fallon while she was taking the photos.

"You should have a photograph with them," the man spoke, "our grandchildren taught us how to operate those things so we can take some of the four of you," he pointed at the large black camera in Fallon's hands.

"That's very thoughtful, thank you," Fallon offered them a smile before joining her family in front of the Tree of Life.

"Say cheese!" The lady exclaimed.

In between the photos, Liam turned towards Fallon and pulled her in for a kiss. Olivia looked up at her parents, taking one of her hands to Fallon's cheek while Charlotte stared down at them giggling with one hand on her mouth.

"You two have a beautiful family," the elder lady smiled while handing them back the camera. "Enjoy your day,"

"You too," Liam replied, "thank you so much for the photos," he smiled back.

* * *

"How long do we still have to walk to get to the line?" Charlotte whined. They had been walking down the trail towards the Safari entrance and Charlotte could swear she couldn't see the end of the trail anywhere.

"Almost there, baby," Liam told her.

"Olivia is so lucky she can't walk yet," Charlotte groaned. "Can't you carry me too?"

"She's quite heavy, Charlotte," he replied, "It's not like I can carry both of you at the same time,"

"You carry that huge bar with lots of weight on it at the gym and you can't carry two little girls?" She pouted while throwing him her famous puppy eyes. "Since you're not going to the gym this week you could make sure your muscles don't get flaccid by carrying me too," she offered him a wide smile.

"Her argument _is_ quite solid, Liam, you can't deny that," Fallon couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh look, we're here," Liam exclaimed when the reach the short line of guests waiting to for the next jeep. “Where are you even learning those words, Charlotte?”

“I have my sources,” she glanced at her mother as she giggled.

“Do you want to go in the middle or at the window?” Fallon asked Charlotte before they boarded on their assigned row of the jeep.

“Window!”

Fallon was the first one to board so Liam sat right between his wife and daughter. Once the doors were closed and all the guests were safe inside the jeep, the young lady started talking on the speaker, explaining what animals they could expect to see during the ride.

“Pay attention, boys and girls, and you might see some amazing animals!” She exclaimed when the jeep started moving.

“Oh my god giraffes!” Charlotte bounced on her seat whey started driving through the first area. “Aww they look so cute,” she reached for Fallon’s phone and went straight to the Instagram app to make a few stories.

“Keep the phone inside the jeep, Charlie,” Fallon spoke up.

“Okay, mom,” she nodded, “I wish Santa would bring me one... Daisy would love a friend,”

“I don’t think a bulldog could play with a giraffe, princess,” Liam laughed.

“Look how adorable they look eating the small leaves from the trees,” Charlotte glanced between her parents, “she could help me get peaches from the trees in our backyard,”

“I’m sure a ladder can help you get to the peaches just fine, Charlotte,” Liam ran a hand softly through the brown strands falling down her back.

“Well, when Santa finally brings me one, I will call her Penelope,” Charlotte stated.

“Now to your right, you can see the elephants,” the woman told them.

“You see them, sweetheart?” Liam asked the seven months old. “Do you like the elephants?” He pointed at the huge gray animals.

“I think she’s bored,” Charlotte told Liam.

Instead of watching the elephants with Charlotte, Olivia turned away from her sister and reached her arms out for her mother. Groaning, she started kicking her legs, her feet hitting Liam’s thighs as she tried to get out of his grip.

“It’s almost eleven,” Fallon mentioned, “I think she just wants a nap,”

Reaching for the backpack they had placed on their feet, Fallon pulled out the small white cotton blanket before accepting the baby girl from Liam. Settling Olivia against her chest, Fallon covered her with the blanket then started to rub slow patterns on her back as she whispered a soft song to her.

Liam threw one arm around his wife, pulling her closer to him so he could watch his little girl. Charlotte remained focused on the animals around the safari, laughing at the sounds the rhinos were making but the couple was doing their best not to have a crying and very unhappy baby in that small vehicle with so many strangers.

“She’s hungry, Fal,” Liam said softly when Olivia started pushing on her dress, her fingers gripping onto the fabric as tight as she could to get rid of it.

“I _know_ but this road is terrible,” Fallon told him, “the car keeps shaking and I’m worried she might choke,”

“Try holding her in a standing position instead of lying down,” Liam suggested.

“There’s not much room since I’m sitting down but I can try,” Fallon adjusted Olivia against her body and while she unbuttoned the top of her dress, Liam pulled the thin blanket over the seven months old and Fallon’s shoulder to make sure they were all covered.

“Did she latch?” He asked.

“Yeah,” Fallon replied, “she was hungry indeed,”

“Oh god,” Liam’s eyes widened when he felt the road under the jeep move right as they drove over the river. Exchanging horrified looks with his wife, they both knew they were in deep trouble with their little one.

“We’re gonna fall!” Charlotte screamed, hugging onto Liam’s arm before burying her head against her father as the jeep started to rock unsteadily.

“Ah, ah,” Olivia groaned in disappointment when Fallon pulled her off her breast. “Ahh,” she kicked her legs hardly against Fallon.

“Shh, baby, it’s okay,” Fallon whispered softly, “just a couple more minutes, I promise, baby, please,”

“We’re gonna die!” Charlotte tightened her grip on Liam’s arm when she noticed the water getting too close to them. “Oh, oh thank god,” she sighed when the bridge started moving back up until it was perfectly connected to the rest of the road again.

“Okay, Liv, now you can have it,” Fallon used her hand to guide her nipple back into Olivia’s mouth and the baby girl finally relaxed once she started getting her milk. “I _hate_ this ride,” she whispered at Liam before resting her head on his shoulder. “I hate this ride so _much_ , Liam,” she murmured.

“Dad, lions!” Charlotte opened the camera app and started zooming in on the animals. “They are so beautiful! Can you see them, dad?” She asked excitedly.

“I can, princess, they are very beautiful indeed,” Liam spoke softly. “Are you enjoying this safari?”

“Yes, daddy!”

“At least _she’s_ having fun,” Liam told Fallon, “how is Olivia?”

“She’s fine... she keeps letting go before latching back again,” Fallon explained, “she wants the milk, but the ride is probably making her sleepy and she can’t really focus,”

“I completely forgot we would be here around eleven...”

“So did I, babe, but that’s okay,” Fallon offered him a smile, “we’re lucky she doesn’t fuss like Charlotte used to do... she complains but it takes her a while to start crying and screaming. We’re even more lucky that I came along,” she murmured, “you’d be in serious trouble if you were alone with them,”

“Yeah, we _are_ pretty lucky this one is an angel... calm and peaceful,” Liam slid one hand beneath the blanket so he could caress his baby girl.

“A lot like someone I know,” Fallon looked deep into his eyes, “such a Ridley this one...”

“Can I have a gorilla?” Charlotte turned towards them. “Look how funny they are!” She pointed at the fat black animals jumping on the grass.

“I thought you wanted a giraffe?” Liam frowned.

“Well, we have a huge backyard,” Charlotte shrugged, “I’m sure we have room for both,”

“A Carrington and a Ridley,” Liam looked back at Fallon, “we really hit the jackpot with the most perfect pair of girls,”

“We certainly did,” Fallon offered him a smile before covering his lips with hers for a soft quick kiss.

The drive through the safari lasted twenty more minutes, ending right after the zebras’ area. Charlotte got out of the jeep with the help of one of the employees and Liam threw the backpack over his shoulders as soon as he got to the ground before extending his hand out for Fallon.

“Watch the step,” Liam placed one hand protectively on Olivia’s body even though Fallon’s arm was holding her tight against her chest beneath the blanket.

“I need to close my dress,” Fallon told him, “and she needs to burp immediately, Liam,”

“Let’s get out and I will help you,”

The walk to the exit was quite short and as soon as they returned to the park, Liam guided Fallon and Charlotte towards a secluded corner next to some large rocks. Fallon sat down on one of the rocks and Charlotte quickly took a seat next to her.

“Hold the blanket against your body,” Liam instructed. “Charlie, can you help mom?”

“Yeah,” she placed both her hands on Fallon’s shoulder and held the blanket in place while Fallon secured the other end with her free hand.

“I will take her and you can close your dress,” Liam informed before reaching for his baby girl. “Come here, sweetie,” he spoke softly while settling the front of her body against his chest and placing his palm flat open on her back.

“I don’t think Ollie liked the safari,” Charlotte told Fallon as she waited for her mother to finish buttoning her dress.

“We didn’t pay attention to the time, princess. She usually gets cranky around this time because she wants milk and then it’s time for her nap,” Fallon explained. “I’m sure she will enjoy going on some rides with you this afternoon,”

“I hope so,” Charlotte replied, “she was so much fun yesterday,”

“She’s just tired, Charlie,” Liam told her. “All done, Fal?”

“Yeah,” she folded the blanket then stood behind him to put it back inside the backpack. “That was one hell of a ride,”

“It was,” Liam laughed.

“Dad, where’s my paper map?” Charlotte asked. “I’m kinda hungry too. I should look for a restaurant,”

“Side pocket of the diaper bag, Charlie,” Charlotte opened the map and started looking around their surroundings to figure out where they were.

“There are some restaurants in the Asia area,” Charlotte told them, “can we go there?”

“Of course. Let me just put your sister down, okay?” Liam asked.

He walked around for a few minutes, singing a soft lullaby for Olivia as he watched her close her eyes and drift off. Meanwhile, Charlotte sat on Fallon’s lap, her mother’s arms wrapped around her belly while they checked the park app on Fallon’s phone. As Liam rocked the youngest Ridley softly, the girls looked at what rides Charlotte would like to go after lunch to make sure they got all the fastpasses they needed.

“Are you _sure_ you wanna ride Everest, Charlotte?” Fallon was surprised when her daughter tapped the small snowy mountain on the screen. “It’s a roller coaster, you know, very fast and with a big drop,”

“Are you scared, mom?” Charlotte teased her.

“Mommy doesn’t really do roller coasters, princess,” Fallon rested her chin on the top of Charlotte’s head, “but you can ask dad if he wants to go with you...”

“Daddy, would you like to go to Everest with me?” Charlotte asked as Liam lowered Olivia down in the stroller before pulling the sun protection all the way down.

“You wanna go to _Everest_?” His eyes widened.

“My reaction exactly,” Fallon laughed.

“You went to Space Mountain with me yesterday,” Charlotte shrugged.

“I did, yeah, but Everest is a lot scarier, princess,” Liam started, “it’s out in the open so you can see everything that’s happening, unlike Space Mountain that was completely in the dark, and there’s quite a big drop at Everest as well,”

“I’m feeling brave today!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“Well, we can give it a try,” Liam offered her a smile, “you will see some of the ride while we’re in the line but you can back down if you don’t feel like riding it by the time we get to the train,”

“I’m getting us fastpasses then,” Charlotte smiled back.

“Just make sure you get them for later this afternoon,” he told her, “we already had your mother almost throw up in a teacup yesterday so we gotta wait at least two hours after lunch to ride a roller coaster,”

“Is four okay?” Charlotte asked.

“It is, baby,” Fallon replied.

“Olivia’s all set,” Liam turned towards them, “should we look for a restaurant now so the rest of the family can enjoy some lunch as well?”

“Food!” Charlotte exclaimed, jumping off Fallon’s lap. “Here,” she handed her mother her phone back before opening her map again. “I will lead the way, follow me,”

* * *

“Mom! That ride was simply amazing!” Charlotte ran towards Fallon as soon as she spotted her mother sitting on a bench under a large tree.

Olivia was sitting on her lap, her monkey silicone bib protecting her clothes from getting stained by the strawberry she was currently sucking on.

“Oh my god, you’re soaked!” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh at her daughter’s current state. “Oh Liam, what the hell happened to you?” She laughed even harder when her husband approached them, possibly even more soaked than Charlotte was. His polo shirt was glued to his body and his hair was a total mess, pointing in every single direction as he probably ran his fingers through it in an attempt of getting rid of some of the water.

“You gotta come, mom!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“On a boat?” Fallon removed her sunglasses so she could look properly at her daughter. “To get this wet?” She gestured at their bodies, “oh no, thank you, mommy is just fine here with your sister,”

“Can I have a strawberry too?” Fallon handed her the small Tupperware and Charlotte reached for the fruit, “thanks,” she smiled. “The wait time is only twenty minutes, we gotta go again!” She jumped in excitement.

“This hair and make-up took me half an hour this morning and they’re not getting ruined by water, no,” Fallon shook her head, placing her sunglasses back on her face before leaning back against the backrest of the bench. “You and daddy can go since you’re already soaked,” she told her, “mommy will be right here getting some vitamin D,”

“You _hate_ sun, mom,” Charlotte crossed her arms in front of her chest, “which is why you have an entire wall in your closet just for hats,”

“Mom also hates getting wet, princess,” Liam laughed, “one time I hugged her before jumping into a pool and she made me sleep on the couch for a whole week,”

“Oh, you didn’t!” Charlotte’s jaw fell on the floor, “mom _hates_ the pool,” she shook her head, disapproving of her father’s action. “Are you sure you don’t want to go, mom?”

“I’m sure, baby, you can go with daddy,” she told her, “I will have clean and dry outfits ready for you two when you can back,”

“Let’s do this, princess,” Liam locked Charlotte’s small hand in his and they headed back towards the line to Kali River Rapids.

“I think mom’s still traumatized by the safari,” Charlotte looked up at Liam.

“We got pretty worried about your sister in that jeep, Charlie,” he started, “it’s not good for a baby to drink milk while in motion because they can choke or throw up... mommy managed to hold Olivia at a safe position so she could breastfeed her without much trouble but we got really scared there for a moment,”

“But Ollie is fine, right?” Liam could see the worry in Charlotte’s eyes.

“She is, princess, she’s fine,” he told her. “She’s tiny and she can’t go on most of the rides but we all want her to enjoy the parks as much as you are, but we need to be more careful with her schedule,”

“No rides with Olivia or mom at eleven, right?”

“That’s correct,” Liam nodded, “then between four and five as well,”

“Ollie drinks so much milk,” Charlotte commented, “she’s so tiny, how can she drink all that much?”

“Babies need the milk to grow and get stronger,” Liam explained, “there are a lot of vitamins and nutrients in it and sometimes it’s even richer than most food,”

“How can all that milk fit in mommy’s body?” Her eyes widened. “I mean, her breasts are big but Ollie seems to be drinking quite a lot of milk lately,”

“Mommy’s body produces milk all the time, Charlotte,” Liam just couldn’t stop laughing, “Liv drinks some of it and then her body starts making more for the next time she’s hungry,” he told her. “She drinks what would be about half of that mug you drink your own milk every morning so it’s not really that much, if you think about it,”

“Yeah, it’s really not that much,” Charlotte shrugged, “I usually drink two mugs of milk, sometimes even three,” she rambled, “I think I should get a bigger mug,” she looked at him, “maybe one the size of that beer glass you have only for Super Bowl nights,”

“I don’t really think you should drink all that milk, Charlotte,” Liam advised.

“Maybe that _is_ a lot,” she murmured, “but you empty that glass in minutes and that thing smells horrible!”

“Only adults drink it, princess, because it’s bitter and very strong,” he told her.

“Mommy is an adult and she hates beer,” Charlotte mentioned.

“Want some advice?” She nodded. “Never get between her mother and her DOM... maybe if you have a bottle of the finest wine from France but just to be safe, _never_ get between her and her DOM,”

“That woman does love her champagne,” Charlotte giggled. “Well, looks like Ollie and I will be drinking our milk while you two drink those bubbly and weird drinks,”

Their second ride at the Rapids were just as fun as the first one but they ended up choosing different seats at the boat when their time came and if it was even possible, they managed to get out of the ride even more soaked the second time. Liam ruffled his hair while leaning his head towards Charlotte, throwing the water drops all over her while she squeezed her hair to the side to get rid of the water.

“My sneakers are making a funny noise,” Charlotte told Liam as they headed towards Fallon and Olivia. _“Ploft, ploft,”_ she laughed, repeating the sound they made every time she took a step forward.

“You two definitely look a lot worse now,” Fallon laughed as they got closer. Olivia had already eaten all of her fruit and was back in the stroller by the time they got back.

“We _really_ need new clothes now,” Charlotte shivered, running her hands up and down her arms as a soft wind hit her wet body.

“You sure do,” Fallon stood up from the bench and started pushing the stroller towards the restrooms.

“You should have gone there with her...” Liam whispered, standing right next to her while Charlotte walked a couple of feet ahead of them.

“Why? I’m glad you went with her,” Fallon shrugged. “Charlotte got to have fun with her dad and now I get this spectacular view of my husband,” she ran a hand down from his abs all the way to his shoulder, feeling his muscles perfectly through his wet black polo shirt.

“It was fun but Charlotte would have loved it even more if she had gotten to ride it with you,” he insisted.

“You know I don’t like getting wet, Liam,” Fallon groaned.

“That was not what you said last night when I dragged you into the shower,” Liam teased her, “I believe someone was very wet and she seemed to have enjoyed it quite a lot,”

“We’re supposed to get wet in the shower,” Fallon rolled her eyes at him.

“Yeah, Fal, that’s _exactly_ what I mean,” Liam threw her a teasing wink before pulling the backpack from under the stroller as they reached the restrooms.

“You can take the backpack,” Fallon told him. “I put Charlotte’s in the diaper bag and I will change Olivia while she gets ready,”

“Alright, be right back,” he gave her a quick peck on the lips before heading into the men’s room.

In the ladies’ room, Fallon quickly changed Olivia’s diaper then pulled a brand new outfit from the bag. As warm as the temperature still was, it was getting cooler for a baby of her age so she dressed Olivia in a plain one onesie, pink pants with teddy bears patterns from Moschino to match her hat and the jacket with the same color and pattern.

“Mom, what should I do with my towel and wet clothes?” Charlotte asked as she stepped out wearing the Inside Out dress they had gotten the day before.

“Here,” she held a plastic bag open for Charlotte and she threw her towel and clothes inside it. Fallon placed it on the sink before grabbing a second plastic bag, “now shoes,”

“Can you brush my hair?”

“Of course,” Fallon nodded, “but let’s go outside, okay? It’s too crowded in here,”

As soon as they got out of the bathroom, Fallon parked the stroller against the wall and placed Olivia inside it before turning towards Charlotte. She brushed her brown strands softly before pulling them up in a ponytail per Charlotte’s request.

“I’m back,” Liam announced, “where should I put my wet clothes?”

“There are two plastic bags under the stroller. One for towel and clothes and the other for shoes,” Fallon spoke while finishing up Charlotte’s hair.

“Charlie, are you still sure about Everest?” Liam asked. “The line is only a short walk from here...”

“I’m sure, dad!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“Okay but then we’re doing something with mommy and Olivia because they’ve been all by themselves for quite a while now,”

“It’s okay, babe,” Fallon whispered at him, “I don’t really like those crazy rides anyway and she’s having so much fun with you... I don’t mind staying with Olivia,” she explained. “Allison called me while you were in the Rapids about an interview with a fashion influencer and I told her I would be available in case she needed help with the proposal,”

“Is everything okay?” Liam ran a hand softly through her hair.

“Yeah, but the girl is quite demanding and Allison wasn’t sure how far I wanted to go to sign with her so she called to make sure I agreed to the terms she had drafted,” Fallon explained, “but I’m not gonna bore you with work talk. Go have fun with our little girl,” she smiled as they approached the Expedition Everest attraction.

The fastpass line was quite short so they only had to for two cars until they finally boarded, sitting right in the middle of the vehicle before a young lady adjusted the protection bar in front of them.

The first minute of the ride went smoothly and Charlotte seemed quite entertained with the soft falls and crazy curves. She even raised her arms up in the air a few times but when the train started slowing down while going up and she noticed the track was broken, she scooted towards Liam and let go of the bar, wrapping her arms around her father.

Before Charlotte could even close her eyes and expect the worse, the train started falling backwards until it entered a dark cave and she started screaming like crazy, burying her head against Liam’s chest and trying her best to hide herself on him.

“It’s okay, baby, it’s okay,” Liam was hugging her as tight as he could, trying to show her there was nothing to worry about if he were right there with her but she wouldn’t stop shaking.

When the train finally stopped falling, a small light appeared on the top right of the cave and the huge abominable snowman appeared, screaming and clearly angry at the unwanted visitors inside his cave. Charlotte continued to scream from the top of her lungs along with other guests and Liam swore she was crying when the train left the cave but fell forward on one of the biggest drops of the ride.

“It’s almost over, princess, I promise,” Liam spoke softly.

“I wanna get out,” Charlotte cried. “I wanna get out!” She screamed.

Charlotte opened her eyes when she realized they were out in the open again but as soon as she looked up at Liam, the train entered another cave and the scary snowman returned and he was even closer. He moved his arm and tried to reach for the guests and Charlotte shut her eyes again, pushing her face against Liam’s chest as she tried to climb on his legs.

“It’s over, Charlotte,” Liam informed her when he noticed the people waiting to board the train. “Shh, it’s okay, it’s okay, I’m right here,” he whispered in her ear, placing soft kisses all over her head as his arms remained tightly wrapped around her small body.

As soon as the protection bars were up, Liam got off the car and started heading towards the exit as fast as he could. Charlotte had wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck and she wouldn’t stop crying, even after they were long gone from the scary mountain. He ran his hand through her hair, up and down her back and even tried speaking words of comfort but nothing seemed to help. She refused to open her eyes and she wouldn’t let go of him, not even for a second.

“What happened?!” Fallon jumped off her seat, dropping her phone on the small table she was sitting at when she saw them approaching.

“She got scared,” Liam told her, “she freaked out on the first drop but then it started going fast and it was dark, and then the angry snowman was the tip of the iceberg,”

“I wanna get out!” Charlotte screamed, still crying against his neck.

“We _are_ out, princess,” Liam informed her, “mommy is right here with us. You can see her if you open your eyes,”

“No, the yeti will get me! He’s gonna eat me!” Charlotte continued to shake and eventually the hiccups started when the crying wouldn’t stop.

“I’m here, Charlotte, it’s mommy,” Fallon placed her hands on her daughter’s waist then pulled her away from Liam’s arms, tucking her gently against her chest as Charlotte laid her head on her shoulder. Whenever she felt scared, she would always run into her mother’s arms and everything would begin feeling better once she was safe and sound in her protective arms.

“The yeti is gonna get me, mommy,” Charlotte opened her eyes as soon as she smelled her mother’s perfume, her teary blue eyes meeting Fallon’s.

Fallon wrapped her arms tightly around her little girl and started singing one of her favorites lullabies in an attempt of calming her down as she walked around.

“We’re both here to keep you safe,” Liam placed a hand on her back. “Mommy and daddy are right here so there’s nothing to be afraid of... we’re right here, princess,” he kissed her cheek at the same time Fallon kissed her forehead.

“Shh, it’s okay, Charlie,” Fallon sat back down, holding Charlotte against her chest and she finally felt her starting to relax. “It’s okay,”

Liam ran towards the ice cream cart nearby and returned with a bottle of water and a Mickey ice cream bar before taking a seat next to them.

“Daddy got you an ice cream, princess,” Fallon said softly.

“Mickey?” Charlotte asked, recognizing the shape of the ice cream as Liam took it off the plastic.

“Yes, it’s Mickey,” Liam offered it to her, holding it right in front of her mouth while Fallon rocked her body back and forth lightly. “Can you take a bite?” She opened her mouth and took a small bite off one of the ears.

“Do you see that mommy and daddy are right here with you?” Fallon asked her. “That means the snowman will never get to you because mommy and daddy will always be here to protect you, princess,”

“It was horrible, mommy,” Charlotte murmured, opening her mouth to take another bite of the ice cream Liam was still holding in front of her.

“I know, baby, but it’s over now,” Fallon placed a kiss on the top of her head. “No more roller coasters, okay?”

“No more,” she shook her head in agreement.

“I checked the map while I waited for you and I think you and Olivia are going to love Dinoland,” Fallon told her, “there are some fun and nice attractions so maybe we can head there?” She suggested. “Did you know there’s one ride with lots of green triceratops? They’re your favorite, aren’t them?”

“We can, mommy,” Charlotte nodded. “Yeah, I love triceratops,” it was almost a murmur, but they could already hear a tiny of excitement in her voice.

“Take a sip, Charlie,” Liam opened the water bottle and handed it to her.

“Are you feeling better?” Fallon asked. “Your heart rate is back to normal already...”

“I think so,” Charlotte set the bottle down on the table then reached for the ice cream, taking the small wood stick in her hand so she could eat the whole thing.

“Hey baby,” Liam giggled at the seven months old as he picked her up from the stroller, “do you wanna see some dinosaurs?” She laughed. “You love triceratops just like Charlotte, don’t you?”

“I fed and burped her but she refuses to sleep,” Fallon told him, “she kept laughing at me and pulling on my hair...”

“I think you’re tired of being in the stroller, aren’t you?” He asked his daughter. “Your sister is scared of the abominable snowman, do you think you can make her smile?”

“You’re so lucky you didn’t see him, Ollie,” Charlotte spoke as Liam returned to his seat with Olivia sitting on his legs. “It was horrifying,” she described but the seven months old seemed more interested on the ice cream in her sister’s hand. Leaning forward, she tried to reach for it but Liam was faster and caught her tiny hand in his before she could wrap her fingers around the chocolate.

“We’re all here, Charlie,” Fallon hugged her tight, “we’re all together and nothing is going to happen to either one of you,” she glanced at Liam before looking down at their girls. “You two are very safe with mommy and daddy,”

They sat there for about twenty more minutes, each one of them holding a girl on their laps as they waited for Charlotte to finish her ice cream and drink the entire bottle of water. Liam put the baby carrier on his body so he could place Olivia back against his chest and as soon as she was settled, she started squirming and shaking her arms and legs in excitement.

“She loves that thing, dad,” Charlotte mentioned.

“At least one of you likes snuggling against daddy,” Liam pouted. “I kept you safe from the big scary snowman and you only opened your eyes for mommy,” he faked tears and a sad voice.

“You protected me, daddy! You’re the only reason I’m alive now!” Charlotte exclaimed. “That snowman would have eaten me if you weren’t there and I would be nothing but a cadaver right now,” she dramatized, “but mommy is...” she paused, “ _mommy_ ,”

“Yeah, yeah,” Liam rolled his eyes as Fallon pulled Charlotte closer to her, her arms still rounding her waist protectively.

“Don’t be jealous, babe,” Fallon teased you, “it doesn’t suit you,”

“Yeah, daddy, it’s not pretty,” Charlotte joined her mother’s team as she ate the last bite of her ice cream.

“Look at her,” Liam glanced down at Olivia, sucking on her fist as she watched a few kids running around with a huge stuffed abominable. “All dressed up in a pink Moschino outfit and covered in teddy bears while secured to her daddy’s chest,” he adjusted the hat on her head before looking back at Fallon and Charlotte. “The ladies just _love_ when a man carries a baby like this,”

“I wouldn’t tease mom if I were you, daddy,” Charlotte spoke when she noticed the glare Fallon was sending Liam.

“That ring on your finger?” Fallon started. “It better keep _all_ those _ladies_ away from _my_ man and _my_ baby girl,” she spoke seriously.

“As if I would ever be interested in anyone but you, babe,” Liam teased playfully.

“Aww,” Charlotte clapped her hands. “Can I have a napkin?” She asked when she realized the melted chocolate all over her hands.

Fallon placed Charlotte back on her feet and took a few steps towards Liam, closing the distance between them as she pushed herself on her tiptoes to give him a quick kiss.

“You _are_ very handsome when you carry her like this,” Fallon commented while playing with the one hand Olivia wasn’t sucking, “but you’re _mine_ ,” she winked at him before capturing his lips one more time.

“Eww, no kissing!” Charlotte groaned.

“It’s not my fault that your mom got jealous the ladies will be all over me since I’m carrying the cutest baby in front of me,” Liam laughed.

“You got jealous first because I wanted mommy,” Charlotte shrugged, “and I have chocolate all over my hands so I can make you stop kissing right away, do you wanna see?” She ran towards them and threatened to place one hand on each of their arms.

“Oh no, no, no,” Fallon ran around Liam and hid herself behind him while Charlotte waved her dirty hands in front of them.

“See? That worked like a charm,” Charlotte let out a loud laugh.

Fallon reached for a few napkins inside the Gucci diaper bag and handed it to her but as soon as Charlotte turned all of her attention to cleaning her hands, Fallon turned back towards Liam and kissed him again.

“Are you kidding me?” Charlotte’s eyes widened. “You think this is funny?” She asked as their lips continued to move together.

“We do, yeah,” Fallon and Liam replied at the same time.

“That is _disgusting_ ,” Charlotte groaned.

“Are you done, princess?” Fallon reached for the napkins and threw them in the large trashcan. “Here,” she grabbed the small hand sanitizer and applied some on her hands.

“MOM!” Charlotte screamed out of nowhere and Fallon’s hand flew to her chest, dropping the small bottle before she could put it back in the bag.

“Oh my god, Charlotte! Don’t do that!” Fallon took a deep breath. “You’re going to give your mother a heart attack like that,”

“I forgot to buy daddy’s goofy hat!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“It’s okay, Charlie, it really is,” Liam told her, “you’re not even wearing your own hat right now,”

“I don’t even _know_ where it is,” Charlotte admitted.

“In the backpack, honey,” Fallon replied, “the sun is not that bad anymore so it’s okay if you don’t wear it,”

“Well, I will still look for one so daddy can wear it tomorrow,” Charlotte told them, “maybe we can get matching ear headbands too so we can all match!”

* * *

“Oh my god, it’s Pluto!” Charlotte exclaimed.

They were walking towards Dinoland when Charlotte recognized the famous yellow dog taking pictures with some children.

“You want a photo with him?” Liam asked.

“Of course, dad! You don’t even have to ask!” Charlotte jumped in excitement. “I think Ollie would love a photo with him too,”

“Let’s meet Pluto then,” Fallon laughed.

“Do you think she’s forgotten about the snowman already?” Liam whispered at his wife.

“It looks that way,” Fallon replied, “I hope it lasts though. I don’t want her to miss out on the fun because one ride scared her,”

“She loves dinosaurs so hopefully they will keep her entertained enough to forget about the snowman completely,”

As soon as Charlotte’s turn to meet Pluto arrived, she ran towards him, hugging his huge nose as he crouched down on the ground.

“Hi Pluto!” Charlotte waved at him. “You are so cute! I love you!” She placed a kiss on his black nose and the character wrapped his arms around her.

“Excuse me,” the young boy that was organizing the line placed a hand on Liam’s shoulder, “would she like one?” He asked, pulling one small stuffed Pluto from the paper box he was carrying.

“Ehh!” Olivia bounced in the carrier, reaching immediately for the small toy the boy was offering them.

“Thank you,” Liam smiled.

“That one is yours too, right?” He pointed towards the young brunette posing with Pluto for her mother. Liam nodded and couldn’t help but laugh when Pluto picked her up in her arms and Charlotte threw her arms and legs up in the air. “One for her then,” he handed Liam another Pluto.

“Ahh ahh!” Olivia’s eyes sparkled when she grabbed the second stuffed Pluto with her other hand and held both animals against her chest.

“You gotta give one to your sister, pumpkin,” Liam informed, but she only tightened her grip on the two animals.

“Oh did we get gifts?” Charlotte asked when Liam joined her next to Pluto for Fallon to capture a photo of them all.

“Ehh!” Olivia kicked her legs, laughing at large version of her stuffed animals right next to her.

“Can I have one?” Charlotte tried to reach for one Pluto but Olivia only shook her head.

“Olivia...” Liam spoke seriously. “You don’t need two,” he held one of her hands in his and gently unwrapped her tiny fingers from one of Pluto’s paws. “Come on, be a nice girl and let your sister have one...” Olivia finally let go of one of the animals and it fell right in Charlotte’s hands.

“Thanks!” Charlotte offered her a smile. “Oh, I love gifts!” She hugged him tightly. "Are we going to the TriceraTop Spin now?" She settled the small Pluto under one of her arms and opened her paper map to see where they were heading.

"Yeah," Liam nodded. "Liv hasn't gone on any ride today besides that terrible safari experience and I think she might enjoy riding the triceratops. What do you think?"

"I think they look fun!" Charlotte exclaimed as soon as she laid her eyes on the gigantic green brachiosaurus at the entrance of Dinoland.

The area was filled with children of all ages, some running around and others playing with all kind of dinosaurs’ toys. Olivia let go of her Pluto the minute she saw the green triceratops flying up in the air, the small yellow dog hitting the floor when the dinosaurs became a lot more fun for the seven months old.

"Ahh!" Olivia screamed, extending her arms as high as she could towards the flying dinosaurs.

The ride at the TriceraTop Spin went amazingly well for both girls. Fallon and Liam were still worried that Charlotte would start neglecting some attractions after the Everest incident but much to her surprise, she was quite excited about riding the triceratops.

Fallon rode one of them with Charlotte while Liam sat on the dinosaur right behind them with Olivia. Once the ride started, Liam reached for the iPhone in his pocket and started recording Charlotte jumping up and down on her seat while looking down at the floor to check how high they were once in a while.

"Hi daddy!" Charlotte turned around and waved at him. "Do you see how high we are?"

"We are very high indeed, princess!" Liam screamed back at her before switching to the front camera to add some of Olivia to the video.

"Eh! Eh! Ahhh!" Olivia was laughing so hard, her mouth wide open and her blue eyes shining brightly as she stared at the small triceratop on the top center of the ride, that Liam couldn't seem to record anything but his youngest at that moment. "Ehh!" She bounced against his chest, her legs giving her the boost she needed as her feet hit his legs.

"That was fun," Charlotte held onto Fallon's hand so she could get out of the triceratop, "a bit boring though but it was fun," she shrugged.

"Your sister had a lot of fun," Liam mentioned, "you gotta watch this," he handed Fallon his phone. She hit play and at first the video captured Charlotte talking nonstop about the dinosaurs but soon the camera turned towards Olivia and her laugh echoed from the small device.

"My girl loves a funny dinosaur," Charlotte giggled while tickling her sister's feet, "yes, she does," she started making funny faces at Olivia and the baby girl burst out laughing again. "Ollie, look at this!" She exclaimed as they walked past a small shop with nothing but stuffed dinosaurs.

Olivia immediately stopped laughing and her eyes widened at all the dinosaurs around her as they entered the store. Liam stopped by the t-rex wall and chose a fourteen inches tall red t-rex before offering it to the baby in front of him.

"Do you like this one?" Liam asked her.

"Ollie! Ollie!" Charlotte ran around the shop looking for her parents. "Look what I found!" She held the 25 inches long green t-rex up high so it was right in front of her. "It's called a _Cuddleez Plush_ ," she told her parents, both of them with a panic look on their faces as Olivia dropped the dinosaur Liam had chosen and started leaning towards Charlotte to reach for the large t-rex. "The lady said is more like a pillow than a toy," she explained. "Do you want it, Ollie?"

"Ahh!" Olivia jumped up and down in the carrier, probably even more excited than she had been during the ride.

"There you go!" Charlotte raised the t-rex towards Olivia and waited until she wrapped her small arms around it to let go of the stuffed animal. "Oh my god, this is almost your size," she laughed when the baby girl hugged the green t-rex, resting her cheek against its head and its tale ended right at her feet.

"This one was way too small, daddy," Charlotte bent over to grab the dinosaur from the floor before placing it back on the shelf.

"Well, it's a great thing she has a sister to show her all the huge toys, right?" Liam spoke sarcastically.

"Yes, it is! I'm the best big sister in the whole world!" Charlotte exclaimed. "I would like this one, please," she handed him the medium sized pink triceratop.

"Oh, so I'm the one paying for them?" Liam questioned.

"I figured you would like to treat your girls with a gift this afternoon..." Charlotte shrugged nonchalantly.

"I think it’s okay if we give them the dinosaurs, babe," Fallon placed a hand on Liam's shoulder.

"If mommy is okay with it..." Liam murmured.

"She is!" Charlotte smiled.

Liam scanned his magic band at the cashier and they headed out of the store, Charlotte had tucked her dinosaur in the stroller, buckling the seatbelts on him to keep him from falling off the stroller but Olivia still held tightly to her t-rex.

"I would like to go here," Charlotte turned her paper map towards Fallon, pointing at the DINOSAUR attraction.

"That looks like a scary ride, Charlie," Fallon commented. "I don't know... maybe you should wait a few years to ride it after what happened at the Everest,"

"But dinosaurs aren't scary mom," Charlotte pouted, " _please_ ,"

"Your _favorite_ character is a snowman and you freaked the hell out when you saw abominable," Liam added.

"I think that name already says how _scary_ that snowman was," Charlotte rolled her eyes. "He was huge and furry and so ugly! Olaf is the sweetest snowman in the entire world... he would never hurt a fly! That snowman wanted to eat me!"

"Okay, Miss Drama Queen," Liam laughed, "Olaf might not be like the abominable but I still don't think you should go on another scary ride..."

"I really wanna go," Charlotte insisted, "please daddy,"

"It's getting late so this will be our last ride of the day," Liam started, "are you sure you want to ride DINOSAUR instead of any other attraction?"

"I'm sure,"

"Are you _completely_ sure, Charlotte?" Liam asked seriously. "Mom and I are going to start restricting rides if you start panicking again. I don't want you to get scared like that again, princess,"

"I won't, daddy, I promise. I won't cry," Charlotte told him.

"Alright, then mommy can stay with Olivia while we ride this thing," Liam nodded.

Charlotte held onto the green t-rex while Fallon got Olivia out of the carrier and settled her against her body so Liam could remove the baby carrier from his body.

"I'm starting to get hungry so I will be waiting for you at over there," Fallon pointed at the restaurant to her right.

"At the Restaurantosaurus?" Charlotte asked. "Oh my god, that's the best name ever!" She couldn't stop laughing. “I will keep that in mind for my next lemonade business this summer,”

"Yes," Fallon nodded, "but we're leaving as soon as you two get back so enjoy the ride. Put on your brave face and no crying, okay?"

"Brave Charlotte, brave Charlotte!" She repeated, locking her fingers in Liam's so they could head towards the last attraction of the day.

Liam and Charlotte waited in line for over half an hour before they were finally allowed into one of the vehicles. Each row could fit up to four people and Charlotte asked to stay in the middle, just to be sure no animal would get her during the ride.

When the jeep started moving and the room got completely dark, Charlotte scooted towards her father, hugging his arm and leaning her head against him. During the ride, some lights would turn on in different places of the room, some to their left, some to their right but always revealing a different dinosaur.

“Oh, I love him!” Charlotte pointed towards one of them but then the room became dark again and a thrilling song started playing in the background.

Charlotte buried her face on her father’s chest but kept one eye open as she tried to see what was happening even though she was a little bit scared. When she decided she wasn’t acting very brave, she lifted her head off Liam but she managed to look up at the same time the huge t-rex appeared.

“Ahhhh!” Charlotte screamed before covering her face with both of her hands and Liam couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh my god that scream wasn’t pretty,” she laughed.

“I thought it was adorable,” Liam told him.

“Please, don’t tell mom I screamed like a coward little girl,” Charlotte groaned.

“You _are_ a little girl,” Liam laughed.

“Not a coward though,” she shrugged, “I’m very brave!”

“Okay, I won’t say a word,” Liam pretended to zip his lips and then throw the key away.

“This is so cool!” Charlotte exclaimed as the car started moving faster. She finally let go of Liam and held onto the bar in front of them. “Weee!” She tilted her body from one side to the other, pretending she was the one driving the jeep through the dinosaurs’ area. “Oh no,” she suddenly stopped talking when another t-rex appeared but at that moment, it was an even bigger one and right on top of them, ready to jump on the vehicle.

“Ahhhh!” She screamed when the huge dinosaur growled seconds before the jeep went down a drop, falling through a dark tunnel before entering a lab scenario. “Oh, it’s over,” Charlotte let out the breath she was holding, one hand resting over her heart as the other gripped tightly onto the bar, when she realized the jeep was approaching the line of guests waiting to board.

“How was that, princess?” Liam asked, offering her a hand to help her get out of the jeep.

“It was scary but fun at the same time!” Charlotte smiled. “My belly felt weird and I really thought the t-rex would get to us but then everything turned out alright,” she explained.

“You were very brave, Charlie,” Liam ran a hand through her hair, offering her a smile as they exited the attraction.

* * *

It was around eight o’clock when the Ridley’s walked out of the pizza restaurant after a rather relaxing dinner. As tired as they all were, both Liam and Fallon were all but craving their hotel bed as soon as possible, Charlotte just wouldn’t stop talking about all the shopping they were going to do after dinner.

“I love my bracelet so much, mommy,” Charlotte waved her wrist in front of her own face, staring at the six lockets Fallon had chosen. “You are the best!” She exclaimed, hugging her mother probably for the tenth time that night since she had gotten the small white bag from Pandora.

Charlotte and Liam had gone straight to the restaurant when they arrived at Disney Springs but Fallon had decided to take Olivia to the restroom with her so she could change her baby daughter, which was half true but was also an excuse for Fallon to sneak out and get her eldest daughter a gift.

“I’m glad you liked, baby,” Fallon offered her a smile.

“Liked it? I love it, mom!” Charlotte’s eyes sparked every time she stared at each locket carefully. “You got Olaf, Mickey, Minnie, the Alien from Toy Story, Stitch and even the Cheshire Cat! All of my favorites!”

“There are thousands of different lockets, princess,” Fallon told her, “you can always buy more if you want to fill the whole bracelet,”

“But those six are fine for now, right Charlotte?” Liam spoke up before Fallon encouraged Charlotte to head towards Pandora and buy the entire store until her arm was covered in Disney bracelets.

“I think so,” Charlotte mentioned. “I wanna go to the World of Disney store. I even made a shopping list on the car!” She informed them.

“A shopping list?” Liam asked surprised.

“Yes,” she nodded.

They had been in the store for almost one hour and as much as Fallon and Liam tried to tell her how late it was already, Charlotte continued to fill the shopping baskets she had gotten when she walked into the store.

Liam had found a quiet spot in one of the corners and was waiting for Fallon to follow Charlotte wherever the six years old wanted to go while Olivia slept in the stroller next to him. There were already three baskets, all of them completely full, but Charlotte was still somewhere in the store choosing more stuff.

One of the baskets had only home items. She had chosen a couple mugs, some Peter Pan porcelain plates, an Elsa bath towel with an Olaf face towel matching it and three different hooded towels for her baby sister - one of Mickey, one of Minnie and the other one of Pooh. On top of it all, she had placed all the Christmas ornaments she had found in the clearance section, which Liam could only guess were about fifteen different ones that were making their debut on their tree later that year.

The second basket had all kind of clothes. Some for Charlotte herself, mostly casual ones like dresses and t-shirts for her to wear during the weekends back in Atlanta but she had also gotten a few sets of pajamas and a jean jacket with Mickey’s face on its back. For Olivia, she had chosen some onesies and dresses all in different sizes since Fallon had informed her that she was growing up faster and faster and would eventually lose most items sometime soon. Besides the rather normal outfits, Charlotte had gotten her a Cinderella dress since she was the blonde of the family, an Anna dress and two hooded jumpsuits - a pink Minnie one and a Stitch one.

The third and last basket had stuffed animals all the way to the top and some even kept falling from it. For herself, she had gotten the entire Pooh family in the small size, a medium sized Simba, a medium sized Lady with Tramp to match it and an also medium sized Chewbacca. For Olivia, Charlotte had chosen a small pink Minnie to match with the jumpsuit she had already chosen for her sister, a small set of Chip and Dale and a medium sized Dumbo. Besides all of that, she had gotten a few small sized ones to give to their family as a souvenir from their trip once they got back. A Mickey to give her grandfather, a Minnie for her grandmother, a Goofy for Uncle Sam, a Tiger for Anders, a Daisy for their own Daisy and even a Cheshire Cat for crazy Kirby - as Charlotte liked to call her.

“Oh my god!” Liam’s jaw fell on the floor when Fallon and Charlotte returned with two more baskets, both already completely full. “What are you going to do with so many Mickeys?” He asked, counting what he could only guess were a dozen small Mickeys that looked totally the same in his eyes.

“They’re for our staff,” Charlotte mentioned, “they’re taking care of our house and Daisy while we’re on vacation,”

“Okay, that is actually very sweet of you,” Liam glanced at Fallon, both of them with a proud look in their eyes. “Did you think of that all by yourself?”

“Totally her idea, babe,” Fallon whispered at him. “She asked me if she could buy something for them and when I nodded, she just kept throwing those Mickeys inside the basket,”

“Charlotte is crazy, but she has a good heart,” Liam laughed.

“I told her she wouldn’t have to pay for anything and that she could have anything she wanted in this store,” Fallon told him.

“Oh, of course you did,” Liam stared down at the five baskets on the floor around the stroller.

“Yes, we are definitely spoiling her but she deserves it,” Fallon started, “she’s such an amazing girl, she is doing really well at school and she helps us out more than a kid normally would... while she’s choosing things for herself, she always stopped to think which character Olivia would like more so she could get some for her sister as well,” she explained, “she also got gifts for everyone including the staff. She chose the small Mickeys but she got three medium ones specially for Paula, Carol and Maggie because they are the ones that help us more in her opinion,” she continued, “tomorrow she’s back to spending her own money and she’s going to pay us back for all the things she’s bought at the parks already but we can allow her some extravagance tonight,”

“You really are the best mother in the world, you know that?” Liam pulled her closer to her and placed a long kiss on her forehead. As they smiled at each other, both incredibly proud of their little girl despite her shopaholic moment very Fallon style, they looked into each other’s eyes before capturing each other’s lips for a passionate kiss.

“I’m ready,” Charlotte announced and they broke the kiss right away, their jaws dropping to the floor when they turned towards the six years old and saw her holding a 3 feet tall Stitch.

“Where did you get that?” Fallon’s eyes widened.

“At the entrance,” Charlotte replied as if it was the most ordinary thing in the world to get a stuffed Stitch almost her size. “One very polite boy helped me get it from the shelf so I think we can go now,”

“We better start paying before you buy the entire store,” Liam laughed, reaching for the two heaviest baskets. Charlotte got the two baskets of stuffed animals and Fallon grabbed the other one, placing it on the top of the stroller so she could also carry the huge Stitch while pushing the stroller towards the cashier.

“We look like the craziest family in this store,” Liam rolled his eyes.

“Well, I’m sure you’re the daddy with the happiest daughter!” Charlotte smiled at him. “Oh my god, mom, I forgot something!”

“Are you sure?” Fallon asked. “I think you got everything, princess,”

“No, I didn’t! Please, can you go with me?” Charlotte begged.

“Okay, okay, but we have to be quick,” Fallon offered her hand out for Charlotte, allowing her daughter to guide her to the place she had in mind. It took them about five minutes to return and Charlotte quickly slid the items towards the woman across the counter.

“This is for mom,” she showed Liam the Daisy themed sequined ear headband, “this is for you,” she waved the Donald Duck hat in front of him before placing it on the counter, “this one is for me,” she pointed towards the Goofy themed sequined ear headband, “and this is obviously for Ollie because it’s a baby hat,” she slid the Pluto hat towards the woman.

“I thought I was supposed to be Goofy,” Liam mentioned.

“Yeah, but Donald Duck is married to Daisy so you two could be the couple and I will be Goofy,” Charlotte explained.

“You are very lucky, little one,” the woman offered Charlotte a smile.

“Mommy and daddy are the best!” Charlotte exclaimed, glancing between her parents with the happiest look in her eyes.

Twenty minutes later, all the barcodes had been scanned and every single item had been placed carefully inside the signature blue Walt Disney World bags.

“That will be $4,597.38,” the woman told them, her eyes wide in shock.

“I still don’t understand how you manage to do this,” Liam glanced at Charlotte, who just giggled as she waited anxiously for the woman to give them their shopping bags.

“Last week you bought mom a handbag for that price, daddy,” she rolled her eyes. “The same amount on one _single_ handbag... I bought hundreds of stuff!”

“Charlotte!” Liam threw her a serious look.

“Sorry,” she whispered.

After scanning his magic band, Liam reached for the bags, handing two for Charlotte to carry while he held onto all the others. Fallon settled the huge Stitch over the top of the stroller and started pushing it out of the store.

“This is heavy,” Charlotte complained.

“Your mom has your huge friend and I’m carrying six bags while you’re only carrying two so I’m sure you can walk back to the car just fine,” Liam told her.

“Are we leaving already?” Charlotte seemed disappointed.

“It’s almost eleven, princess, everything is closing and you need to sleep,” Fallon laughed.

“It’s almost midnight?” Charlotte’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Apparently time flies when you’re maxing out our credit cards,” Liam teased her.

“Don’t try to fool me, I know you have an unlimited credit card,” she rolled her eyes.

“It’s a great thing tomorrow you’re back to spending your own money, right?” Liam replied.

“That’s a shame actually,” Charlotte shrugged, “you have so much more than I do,” she murmured, “but you are the best mommy and the best daddy in the whole wide world! Thank you for my gifts!” She looked between them.

“You’re welcome, princess,” Fallon and Liam spoke at the same time.

* * *

It was around three in the morning when Charlotte woke up sweating and kicking her legs as hard as she could, fighting against the blankets and even throwing her pillow off the bed. Sitting up abruptly, she pushed her face mask off her head and looked around the bedroom.

Olivia was sound asleep in her crib, hugging her large green t-rex, but Charlotte couldn’t stop thinking of the Everest attraction from that afternoon. Every time she closed her eyes, it was like she was back in that train, falling down the tracks between the snowy mountains and the abominable snowman was out to get her.

Jumping off the bed, Charlotte reached for Piglet, the stuffed animal she had chosen to sleep with that night and ran towards her parents’ bedroom. Opening the door slowly, she stepped into the room, making sure not to make any noise as she made her way to the bed.

Fallon and Liam were lying in the middle of the king-sized bed, both sleeping peacefully under the blankets. They were sharing the same pillow as Liam spooned her from behind, his arms wrapped around her stomach as Fallon rested her back against his chest. Charlotte pulled the blanket up then slid underneath before carefully scooting closer to her mother.

“Charlie?” Fallon murmured.

“Nightmare...” Charlotte cried. “The abominable is trying to kill me, mommy,” she whispered, “I can’t sleep,”

“The abominable is far far away, baby. He’s trapped in that mountain and he’s never getting out, okay?” Fallon told her.

“I want to stay here with you,” Charlotte begged. “He can get to me if I’m alone,”

“You can, princess,” Fallon pulled her closer to her, wrapping her arms around her daughter in the same way Liam was hugging her. “The abominable will never get to you, Charlotte. You don’t have to worry about that, okay?”

“Can you hug me tighter?” She asked, scooting backwards until she could feel her mother’s chest against her small back. “Just to be sure?”

“Of course,” Fallon laughed, tightening her grip around Charlotte’s stomach, “but now try to get some sleep, princess, it’s late,” she placed a soft kiss on the top of her head, watching her daughter’s face carefully until the six years old started drifting off.

Liam woke up early the following morning but decided against waking up his girls. He could only imagine how exhausted they were and since he had heard some of their conversation about the abominable when Charlotte climbed on their bed in the middle of the night, he figured it would be best if she rested well and woke up on her on time.

After showering with Olivia, he gave her the bottle of breast milk Fallon had pumped the night before and dressed his baby girl in the pink Minnie outfit they had bought at Disney Springs. He finished getting dressed then made a quick stop at his bedroom to check on Fallon and Charlotte, who were still sound asleep and probably wouldn’t wake up anytime soon, before heading down to the hotel restaurant with Olivia for breakfast.

Once Liam was done eating, they spent a couple hours walking around the hotel so he could show Olivia the small beach outside. They had only gone to the beach once ever since she was born so she didn’t really know what it meant to see sand leading to the ocean. Even though the one at the hotel was a fake beach, Olivia still enjoyed it quite a lot.

“Ehh!” Olivia screamed when she spotted Alice a few feet from them as they walked through the gardens on their way back to their building.

“That’s Alice, sweetheart,” Liam bounced her against the side of his body. “You want to see her?”

“Ah! Ah!” She pointed in another direction. When Liam turned around, he saw the Mad Hatter approaching them.

“Can we take a photo?” Liam asked and the Mad Hatter nodded in reply before offering to take Olivia in his arms.

Olivia started laughing the minute he held her in his arms and Liam snapped a few photos of her as she waved the small Minnie she was holding in front of him excitedly.

“Thank you,” Liam smiled, taking Olivia back. The Mad Hatter ruffled her light hair softly then gave Liam a nod before continuing his walk through the garden.

“Your sister’s going to be _so_ jealous,” Liam laughed while heading towards Alice.

After taking a few photos of Olivia and Alice, Liam decided it was time to get back to their hotel room. It was almost eleven and not only was he starting to worry that Fallon and Charlotte could still be sleeping, it was almost time for Olivia’s next feeding and he wasn’t ready to experience what they had gone through the day before at the safari.

Unlocking the door, he stepped into quiet room, settling Olivia down on the floor before heading towards his bedroom. Still holding the Minnie in her hand, Olivia crawled towards the other stuffed toys and started pulling as many as she could from the shopping bags.

When Liam opened the door to the bedroom, he couldn’t help but smile at two of his favorite girls, spooning right in the middle of the bed. Taking his iPhone out of his pocket, he snapped a few shots of them before sitting down on the edge of the bed. He ran a hand carefully through Fallon’s hair while whispering soft words for them to wake up.

“Daddy?” Charlotte was the first one to speak. Fallon just groaned and buried her head in Charlotte’s hair.

“It’s almost eleven, you two,” Liam told them, “are you going to sleep all day, or can we go to a park this afternoon?”

“No, no sleeping,” Charlotte yawned, “wake up, mommy, _wake up_ ,” she shook Fallon’s body softly.

“I’m up, baby, no need to shake me,” Fallon ran a hand through her hair. “I’m up,”

“I brought some waffles and chocolate milk so why don’t you head to the shower and start getting ready, princess?” Liam suggested.

“Okay, daddy,” Charlotte gave him a good morning kiss on the cheek before jumping off the bed.

“I also got the largest latte they had,” Liam leaned forward, covering Fallon’s lips with his, “well, it has only a tiny shot of espresso because you can’t really have your usual dose but at least it’s not decaf,”

“Thank you,” Fallon offered him a smile, “you really know the way to my heart,”

“Your baby daughter will be asking for your breasts soon so you better start getting ready as well,” Liam laughed.

“How long have you been up?”

“A while... Olivia and I went for a walk around the hotel,” Liam told her, “we went to the beach, strolled through the gardens and even met Alice and the Mad Hatter,”

“That sounds like fun,” Fallon sat up on the bed, reaching for her silk robe before standing up. “What are the plans for this afternoon, Mr. Ridley?”

“Taking the girls to Epcot,” Liam replied.

“Oh nice, the only park that has lots of alcohol and I can’t drink,” Fallon groaned.

“Just go get your coffee, babe, we can talk more about our plans once you’ve eaten,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh at the disappointed look she threw him before heading out of the bedroom.

* * *

“I don’t think there’s a lot to do in this park,” Charlotte reached for another tempura shrimp roll. She had been staring at Epcot’s paper map for over ten minutes and she had only found three exciting attractions.

“The main attractions at Epcot are actually the countries, Charlotte,” Liam told her, “you can try different cuisines and signature drinks from every country while walking around the lake,”

“That sounds boring,” Charlotte shrugged before extending her arm to get one of the salmon sushi next to Liam. “Can we have more shrimp?” She asked.

“We still haven’t ordered the entrées, princess,” Fallon laughed as Charlotte ate all the sushi in front of her, the chopsticks between her fingers moving fast against each other as she reached for another piece while chewing on the one already in her mouth, “but you can also leave some food for me and your dad,” she teased her.

“I’m hungry,” Charlotte dipped the tuna nigiri in the small soy sauce bowl.

“Then let’s choose our entrées, shall we?” Liam suggested.

“I want the Vegetable Miso Soup and the Shrimp and Crab Tempura,” Charlotte looked at the menu before handing it to Liam.

“I will have the Grilled Yuzu Salmon,” Fallon told him. “You look so adorable today, pumpkin,” she giggled at the seven months old in the stroller, “daddy chose the cutest outfit for you,” she grabbed the stuffed Minnie that matched her outfit perfectly and waved it in front of her face, eliciting a loud and sweet laugh from her baby girl.

“She _is_ pretty cute,” Charlotte commented, “it’s a shame her Pluto hat doesn’t go with her pink outfit because we look incredible as Mickey’s friends,” she pointed at the ear headbands she and Fallon were wearing.

“I will put the Donald Duck hat back on right after lunch, baby,” Liam turned towards his daughter after ordering their meals.

“It’s okay, daddy, I know it’s not polite to wear a hat at the table,”

“Exactly,” he nodded.

“We have a second outfit for Olivia so maybe we can change her later this afternoon and she can wear the hat you got her,” Fallon suggested.

“I like that,” Charlotte smiled, “can I have the last tuna roll?”

“Yes,” Fallon and Liam said in unison, laughing at the fact their daughter wouldn’t stop eating.

“There’s a room to meet Cruella in United Kingdom,” Charlotte spoke as she stared at her map, “so we need a fastpass for Soarin’ and one for Cruella,”

“You can use mine,” Fallon opened the front pocket of the Gucci diaper bag to pull her iPhone out before handing it to Charlotte.

“Soarin’ is definitely the best ride of the park,” Liam told her, “we should get a fastpass on mine too so we can go twice without lines,”

“Oh, that’s _very_ smart, daddy!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“Grilled Yuzu Salmon?” The waitress approached their table carrying the tray in one hand.

“Mine,” Fallon raised her hand.

“Vegetable Miso Soup,”

“That’s me,” Charlotte ran her tongue over her lips, clapping her hands in excitement as the young woman set the bowl in front of her.

“Japanese-style Sirloin?”

“Mine,” Liam replied while taking a sip of his water.

“And the Shrimp and Crab Tempura?” The woman seemed confused when she finally realized there were four entrées and only three people at the table.

“That’s hers too,” Fallon mentioned and Liam could only laugh at how surprised the young woman looked.

“What? I need a well-balanced diet to grow up,” Charlotte rolled her eyes when she noticed her parents staring at her in complete awe.

“This is exactly why Epcot is so nice, princess. Instead of eating mac and cheese, burgers and pizzas, you get to eat Japanese food,” Liam explained.

“This lunch is definitely the _best_ meal we’ve had at the parks,” Charlotte nodded in agreement before drinking her soup. “Breakfast with the characters at Magic Kingdom was an incredible experience but this food is delicious!”

“Just take your time okay, princess?” Fallon ran a hand through her long brown waves. “We have all afternoon and you said yourself there are only a few rides you want to go so try eating a bit slower...”

“Okay, mommy,”

The rest of lunch went smoothly and as soon as Liam took care of the check, they stepped out of the restaurant back to the Japan world, where Charlotte spent a few minutes posing for photos. On their way to United Kingdom, they stopped at both Morocco and France for more photos per the six years old’s request.

When they arrived at the British land, Liam parked the stroller near one of the outside tables near the Rose & Crown Pub, the main restaurant in the United Kingdom world, while Fallon took Charlotte to the 101 Dalmatians room.

“Wow, look at this, mom!” Charlotte’s hand flew to her cheek, her mouth wide open as they walked through the wide hallway. There was a long red carpet on the wooden floor and the walls were dark red, covered with large golden frames of many dalmatians. “Do you think these are the dogs she used to make her coat?” She murmured, not sure she really wanted to know the answer to her question.

“They’re all smiling and playing with each other, princess,” Fallon told her, “I’m sure these are the dogs they rescued from Cruella’s mean hands,”

“I hope so,”

“Just the two of you?” A young man in a dalmatian outfit asked them as they reached the end of the hallway.

“Yes,” Charlotte replied, “is Cruella in there?” She asked excitedly. “Do we get to see _puppies_?!”

“All the puppies were rescued and sent to loving and caring homes, sweetie, so unfortunately we no longer have anyone here,” he told Charlotte, “she’s kind of crazy so we don’t really allow puppies in her room,” he whispered.

“That’s exactly why I need to have a little chat with her,” Charlotte told the young man.

“You can go in,” he offered them a smile before opening the door for them.

“Hello,” Cruella was lying on a large red velvet couch when they walked into the room with a few other guests. “What is your name, little girl?” She asked in a strong British accent as Charlotte approached her.

“Charlotte,” she replied, “can you sign my book?”

“Of course,” she reached for the autographs book Charlotte was offering her and quickly signed down her name on the next blank page.

“Thank you,” Charlotte offered her a smile, “why are you mean to so many puppies, Miss de Vil?” She put a hand on her waist and stared deeply at the villain.

“It’s not like I _kill_ them,” Cruella rolled her eyes, “I just take their fur so I can make warm coats...”

“That’s still mean,” Charlotte commented, “they need their fur to keep _themselves_ warm,”

“But every story needs a villain, right?” She countered. “You’re gonna have a _boring_ story if you only have good guys doing good things all the time,”

“Well, that _is_ a good argument,” Charlotte frowned, “but promise me you won’t get any more puppies for your coats...”

“I promise, little Charlotte,”

“It was nice meeting you!” Charlotte waved goodbye before linking her hand in her mother’s to exit the room.

“That was a great talk you had in there with Cruella,” Fallon mentioned.

“Do you _honestly_ think she will stop kidnapping puppies?” Charlotte questioned.

“I believe she made quite a promise to you,” Fallon smiled, “so I think the puppies will be just fine,”

When they met Liam and Olivia again, the baby girl was lying on his legs while Liam held his iPhone right above her, probably recording a video of her laughing while she stared up at him. He was making funny faces and babbling incoherent words to her and she seemed quite amused with her father’s current behavior.

“Hey, you’re back,” Liam exclaimed.

“Someone is awake!” Fallon’s eyes sparkled when she laid her eyes on Olivia, her maternal instincts speaking louder that day.

Extending her arms forward, she placed her hands on Olivia’s body and pulled her up from Liam’s lap, settling her against the right side of her body as she started making her own funny faces to encourage her baby girl to continue laughing.

“I told Cruella that she shouldn’t make her coats with puppies,” Charlotte sat down next to her father.

“You did?” Liam asked.

“Yeah and she promised me she wouldn’t,”

“That was very nice of you,” Liam wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in for a hug. “Do you know where you want to go now?”

“I think we could try this Figment ride,” Charlotte pointed at the small silver building on the map. “It’s all ages so maybe Ollie can go with us?”

“What do you think, Fal?” Liam turned towards his wife.

“Isn’t that ride in the dark?” Fallon held the Minnie in her hand while Olivia gripped tightly onto the character’s face to chew on one of her ears.

“It is but it seems pretty soft,” Liam explained while reading through the description of the ride on his phone. “Epcot has plenty of soft and easy rides, Fal. Spaceship Earth is also in the dark so if she likes this one, we can all ride together instead of alternating who gets to go with Charlotte while the other stays outside with Liv,” he suggested. “Yesterday we spent so much time apart because you didn’t want to ride the more adventurous rides...”

“Olivia did love most of the attractions that we went together but I’m worried about the darkness, babe,” Fallon glanced at Olivia for a moment before taking a few steps towards Liam and Charlotte. “I really don’t mind staying outside with her,”

“Can’t we try?” Charlotte asked softly.

“Fal,” Liam stood up and stepped forward, closing the distance between them, “Charlotte really wants to go on more rides with you...” he whispered, “she totally understands that you don’t like the thrilling rides but don’t use Olivia as an excuse not to go, please,” he ran his fingers softly down her face, gently caressing her cheek with his thumb. “We chose to come to Disney World with a baby that’s not even one year old yet and we also chose not to bring anyone with us to help with her because we wanted it to be a family trip, just the four of us. We knew it wouldn’t exactly be easy because she can’t go on most rides but Charlotte really wants to spend more time with you and it’s even better when we have the opportunity for the four of us to go on a ride together,”

“What if it turns out to be another terrible ride like the safari?” Fallon was incredibly worried and Liam knew he couldn’t really blame her.

“Then we won’t take Olivia on safaris or any more rides in the dark...” Liam squeezed his baby girl’s cheek gently, “but if she _does_ like it then we will have spent some time together during this Figment ride and we will get even more family time during the Spaceship Earth ride inside the ball,”

“Okay,” Fallon nodded, “we can give it a try...”

“You won’t regret it, I promise,” Liam gave her a quick peck on the lips. “Do you wanna carry her? I was going to wear the baby carrier, but I know how you hate that thing,”

“I can carry her until we get to the ride,” Fallon told him, “I’m craving some baby time with my girl anyway,” she leaned her head against Olivia’s. “You can put her in the carrier for the ride,”

“Okay but focus on Charlotte, alright?” Liam asked and Fallon nodded in response.

The walk to the Journey Into Imagination With Figment ride was short and the line had only fifteen minutes of wait time when they got to the entrance. Fallon parked the stroller right outside the building along with all the others then got their backpack from the bottom compartment before throwing it over her shoulders while Liam settled Olivia inside the baby carrier.

When it was their turn to board the train, Fallon and Charlotte sat down on the second row while Liam sat on the third row, right behind Fallon. He gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze before running his hand softly through Charlotte’s hair.

“It’s starting,” Charlotte whispered when the red train started moving and a fun song started playing.

Liam wrapped his arms around Olivia when they entered a dark room, trying to reassure her that he was right there with her in case she felt scared. They were moving through the room when an orange light appeared on their right and Figment started singing.

The next room looked like a doctor’s office and had a lot more lights than the one before. Liam glanced down at Olivia and she seemed to be enjoying the ride as she paid careful attention to all the details in the room.

 _“One spark of light can light your fancy,”_ Charlotte continued to sing as the purple dragon bounced in the large white screen on one of the walls. _“Your mind sees more than what your eyes see!”_ She shook her head while singing and Olivia started laughing at her sister.

“Eww!” Charlotte covered her nose with both of her hands when Figment made the entire room stink like a skunk.

Olivia didn’t really seem bothered by the terrible smell, but her eyes widened as soon as they entered the black room with large neon signs all over the walls and ceiling. She turned her head around, staring at them in completely awe while raising her arms up in an attempt of trying to reach them.

“They’re very pretty, aren’t they?” Liam asked her.

“Ehh!” Olivia screamed and Fallon turned around immediately, only to see her daughter was just expressing her excitement.

“Are you enjoying the ride, pumpkin?” Fallon ran a hand over her hair.

“She is, mommy,” Liam replied with a smile.

The ride ended in the next couple of minutes and Charlotte sang the entire Figment song again as they made their way towards the exit.

“Tell mommy that you enjoyed the ride, Liv,” Liam ran his thumb softly over the baby girl’s tiny hand.

“She did laugh a couple of times, but I would say it was a rather _okay_ ride,” Fallon described as she got their stroller.

“At least we know she’s not scared of dark rides,” Liam told her, “so we can all go to Spaceship Earth...”

“Which one is that?” Charlotte asked him.

“The one inside the ball, princess,”

“Ohh, that sounds cool!” She exclaimed. “Are we going to Soarin’ now?”

“Yes,” Fallon nodded while throwing the backpack back under the stroller. “Babe, do you mind changing Olivia while I go with Charlotte?” Fallon asked. “I still have about an hour before I have to feed her so it’s best if I go with her now,” she explained.

“Of course, Fal,” Liam smiled, “you two have fun!”

“Thanks, daddy!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Come on, mom! Let’s fly!” She reached for her mother’s hand and started pulling her towards the Soarin’ attraction.

They only had to wait in line for ten minutes since they had fastpasses for the ride and Charlotte’s jaw fell to the floor when they walked into the dark room and she noticed the big screen and the hanging seats, completely different from all the other attractions she had ridden.

“Front row!” Charlotte jumped in excitement. Fallon placed her hands on her waist and gave her a boost so she could sit on the middle seat before taking the one to her right. “Oh my god, what if I lose my shoes?” She looked down at her hanging feet once they started moving up and towards the screen.

“You’re wearing sneakers, baby, they’re not going to simply fall off your feet,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh.

“We’re soaring around the world, mom, they can _easily_ fall if we encounter some heavy wind,” Charlotte shrugged.

“Then you can pick them up on the floor when we go back to the ground and put them back on your feet, princess,” Fallon rolled her eyes while adjusting the Goofy headband on her daughter’s head. “Now focus on the movie,”

“Oh, it’s cold!” Charlotte ran her hands up and down her arms as they started flying over a glacier, “it’s a polar bear, mom!”

“It is,” Fallon nodded.

“Hi, polar bear!” Charlotte waved at him as they flew right next to him. “And a whale!” She was just about to comment on the huge animal when it fell back in the ocean.

“Ahhh!” Fallon and Charlotte screamed at the same time once the water splashed all over them.

“I was not prepared for that,” Charlotte groaned and Fallon decided not to say anything. Her daughter was having an amazing time so she could handle some water on her hair and outfit.

“Elephants!” Charlotte continued. “Wow this looks like a real safari, mom!”

“It’s probably in Africa, Charlie,” Fallon told her, “they live like that... out in the open. No fences, no cages...”

“Can we go there sometime?” Charlotte asked as they flew over the gray animals.

“Of course we can,” Fallon turned her attention towards Charlotte, completely ignoring the movie for a minute just to admire her daughter. The smile she had on her lips was enough to make her want to take her daughter anywhere she wanted in the entire world.

“Ewww! Dirt!” Charlotte complained when one the elephant used his trunk to throw dirt all over them. “That was not polite, Mister Elephant!” She exclaimed and the young woman sitting to her left couldn’t help but laugh at her comment.

“Look at the pyramids, Charlotte!” Fallon mentioned when they started flying over the Sahara Desert and then got really close to the top of the pyramids.

“They look so big!” She exclaimed. “Oh no, mom,” Charlotte held onto Fallon’s legs once they began to fly through some waterfalls, “more water!”

“Oh good, we’re safe!” Fallon laughed when the screen turned to the beautiful and sparkling Eiffel Tower.

“Paris, mom! Your favorite!” Charlotte kicked her legs in the air in excitement.

“I want to go back to Paris even more now,” Fallon pouted.

“I’m sure daddy will take you to Paris very soon,” Charlotte didn’t even realize what she had said before the words were out of her mouth.

“What?!” Fallon turned towards her but the six years old covered her mouth with her hand.

“Nothing, I didn’t say anything,” Charlotte shook her head. “Oh my god, we’re back! It’s that ball right outside!” She screamed when she recognized the famous silver ball. “And tinker bell! Hi!” She waved at the fairy as the tiny girl flew right in front of her face.

“Awww, the ball became a Mickey, mom, did you see that?” Charlotte couldn’t stop bouncing on her seat. “The fireworks were the ears and the ball his face!”

“It was so pretty!” Fallon commented.

“I can’t believe it’s over,” Charlotte’s tone was upset when the screen turned to black and they started heading back towards the floor. “It was _so_ amazing, mom! I loved every single _second_ of it! I think this is my favorite ride!” She jumped out of her seat and adjusted her headband that had moved slightly to the left during the ride.

“Are your shoes still on your feet?” Fallon teased her.

“ _Surprisingly_ , they are,” Charlotte looked down at her feet. “I can’t believe I said this park was boring, mom! That was amazing!”

“I actually enjoyed that more than I thought I would,” Fallon giggled. “It was so great to see all those places from above... I mean, I’ve visited some of them already, but it was so great to see them in here,”

“Was Paris just as pretty as you say it is?” Charlotte looked up at her as they walked into the attraction’s shop.

“You’ve been to Paris before, princess,” Fallon laughed.

“I was too little, mom, I don’t remember,”

“It was, Charlotte. The Eiffel Tower was just as pretty as it is in Paris,” Fallon ran a hand through her hair, “and speaking about that French city... what did you say about your dad taking me to Paris soon?”

“Don’t use your puppy eyes on me, Mrs. Ridley,” Charlotte focused on walking, trying to avoid her mother’s eye contact as much as possible.

“You use yours on me all the time,” Fallon shrugged. “Do I need to remind you how many things I got you last night?”

“That is blackmail!” Charlotte countered.

“Come on, baby, you gotta tell your mom what you know...” Fallon insisted. “I promise to bring you the largest box of macarons,” she tickled the six years old.

“Okay, okay, but you can’t tell him, or he will kill me!” Charlotte raised her pinky finger at her mother. “You gotta pinky promise,”

“I pinky promise not to tell daddy,” Fallon wrapped her pinky finger around Charlotte’s.

“Daddy’s buying a vacation home for us in Paris and we are down to three places but he wants your approval before he closes the deal,” Charlotte explained, “and he wants us to go there this summer so he’s taking you there sometime soon so you can choose the one you like the most and he can buy it before summer,”

“Oh my god,” Fallon was definitely surprised.

“But mom, please, you need to look surprised when he tells you!” Charlotte started panicking. “Daddy will be so disappointed if he finds out I spilled his secret,”

“Don’t worry, princess, I won’t say anything and I promise to act surprised,” Fallon laughed, pulling her daughter in for a hug.

“Daddy! Daddy!” Charlotte ran towards him as soon as she spotted him sitting outside the building. “You were right! This is the best ride ever and I need to go again!”

“Calm down, princess,” Liam placed a hand on her shoulder so she would stop jumping. “Was it really that nice?”

“It was amazing!” Charlotte threw her arms up in the air. “Mom loved it too!”

“Mom _loved_ it?” Liam frowned in surprise. He knew Fallon tolerated some rides and even enjoyed a few of them but loving a ride was definitely new.

“In fact, I did,” Fallon shrugged. “It was pretty and Charlotte was so excited it made it even better,” she ruffled her daughter’s hair.

“Can you go with me now, dad?” Charlotte asked.

“You want to go right now?”

“Yes, please!” She begged.

“Go, babe,” Fallon told him, “I’m gonna find a quiet place so I can feed Olivia,” she spoke while taking the seven months old from the stroller.

“Alright. I will call you when we get out,” leaning forward, he gave her a quick kiss on the lips before placing a long one on the top of Olivia’s head.

As soon as Liam and Charlotte got back from the Soarin’ attraction, they decide to head towards the Spaceship Earth, the Epcot Ball, not only for their last ride of the day but also for their family photos.

Liam was standing right in front of the ball, wearing his Donald Duck hat while he held Olivia up in the air. Fallon had changed her baby girl’s clothes right after feeding her, dressing her into a yellow footed jumpsuit that matched the color of her Pluto hat perfectly. She was crouching on the floor so she could get the entire ball in the frame as she photographed them.

“Ollie looks so cute as Pluto, mom,” Charlotte laughed, “you did well by choosing a yellow outfit,”

Standing up, Fallon took a few steps forward so she could take more photos of them but at a closer range. Liam was shaking his head funnily and showing her his tongue as he pretended to throw her up in the air and the seven months old just couldn’t stop laughing. The black long ears on each side of her hat would move up and down every time Liam held her up even higher and her smile only grew wider.

“I think that’s enough, babe,” Fallon told him. “She ate only half an hour ago so unless you want her to throw up all over you, you better stop throwing her up in the air,” she laughed.

“Charlotte, come here,” Liam exclaimed.

Running towards them, Charlotte stood right in front of her father as he settled Olivia against the side of his body. Fallon adjusted the hat on his head before doing the same for Olivia while Charlotte ran her fingers through her hair to make it perfect for the photo.

“Liam, put Olivia in Charlotte’s arms,” Fallon requested.

“Open your arms, princess,” Charlotte did so and Liam held Olivia right in front of her chest. She wrapped her arms carefully around her baby sister than nodded for Liam to let go.

“Smile, girls!” Fallon screamed while snapping more photos. Liam started jumping around and making the funny faces Olivia loved so much and it didn’t take long for her to burst out laughing in her sister’s arms.

“Dad, Ollie is slipping!” Charlotte looked at him horrified when Olivia started sliding down her body.

“All good, Charlie,” Liam reassured her when he pulled Olivia back into his arms.

“Excuse me, do you mind taking a photo for us?” Fallon asked a teenager girl that was walking by.

“No, not at all,” she replied with a smile before taking the professional camera from Fallon.

Fallon took Olivia in her arms and Charlotte climbed on Liam’s shoulders so they could take for their traditional family photo. When the girl suggested they change their pose for a few more photos, Liam turned Charlotte around, his fingers gripping her arms tightly as he settled the back of her knees on his shoulders and fell in front of his chest upside down. He placed his hands firmly on her knees and Charlotte’s hand flew to her Goofy headband so it wouldn’t fall off.

The girl took dozens of photos of their happy moment and managed to capture the exact moment Olivia looked down at her sister, laughing at the way Liam was holding her, and Fallon rolled her eyes at Liam.

“You scared me, dad!” Charlotte complained once he settled her back on her feet.

“I wasn’t going to drop you, princess,” Liam laughed.

“We still need the photo of Charlotte on your shoulders and Olivia in front of you, babe,” Fallon informed him.

“Get me the baby carrier then,” Liam asked.

Once Olivia was settled against his chest, Fallon helped Charlotte get on his shoulders. She held onto the straps of the carrier and then adjusted Olivia’s hat as it was falling off her head before turning towards the camera with a bright and wide smile.

“Perfect!” Fallon smiled.

“Let me take some of you and the girls,” Liam suggested.

Fallon took Olivia in her arms and held onto Charlotte’s hand so they could decide on some poses. Crouching down on the floor, Fallon placed Olivia on her knees as Charlotte leaned towards her mother, placing a kiss on her cheek.

After almost one hour of taking photos of each other, Olivia eventually fell asleep in her mother’s arms and Charlotte started complaining of being hungry. They were already close to the park’s exit and they still wanted to ride the Spaceship Earth once Olivia woke up from her nap so they decided to eat something from one of the food carts around them.

Fallon got a bowl of popcorn and an orange juice while Liam and Charlotte got a turkey leg each. The six years old hadn’t even started eating and was taking a sip of her coke when she saw her father take a large bite of his turkey leg.

“Wait, don’t move, daddy!” Charlotte exclaimed, reaching for her mother’s handbag to pull out her phone. “You look so funny,” she laughed as she took a few pictures of him.

“I think you look hot,” Fallon commented, her voice low enough for only Liam to listen, “and I want to see you eat that whole thing since you didn’t want to buy only one to share with your dad,”

“She ate all out appetizers and _two_ entrées at lunch, Fal,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh, “this turkey leg will be a piece of cake for her,”

“As long as she doesn’t get a stomachache afterwards...” Fallon shrugged.

“I won’t!” Charlotte told her. “Mhmm, this is so good!” She spoke when she finally tasted the turkey leg. “Are you sure you don’t want it, mom? Not even one small bite?”

“I’m sure, princess... I’m quite satisfied with my popcorn,” Fallon replied. “Eat over the table, bite small pieces and chew on them slowly. Your sister will probably nap for a while, so we have time... you don’t need to attack your food, Charlotte,” she instructed. “I know you’re hungry but go easy... the food is not going to run away from you,”

* * *

They had been at the hotel for a couple of hours when Charlotte walked out of the ensuite in her Buzz Lightyear bathrobe, a towel wrapped around her hair and a dark pink pomegranate facial mask she had found in Fallon’s toiletry bag. Olivia was still sound asleep in the crib by Charlotte’s bed and the six years old could swear her stomach had already growled twice since she stepped out of the hot shower.

Approaching her parents’ bedroom, Charlotte noticed the door was only half open so she placed her palm flat on the wooden door before pushing it open. Fallon and Liam were lying in the middle of the bed, still in the clothes they had worn at the park that day and wrapped around each other.

Charlotte’s eyes widened and her jaw fell when she noticed Fallon’s foot moving up and down Liam’s leg while they kissed passionately. Liam’s hand was lost in Fallon’s hair, sitting on the lower back of her head as he pulled her closer to him, their tongues battling for dominance and their eyes closed.

“What are you doing?” Charlotte took a few steps towards the bed.

Fallon and Liam jumped in both surprise and horror once they heard their daughter’s voice inside the bedroom. They let go of each other as if they had been burned by the other’s skin and sat up on the bed. Fallon ran her hand through her hair trying to get rid of the mess Liam had made while Liam ran the back of his palm over his lips to remove the stains of red lipstick.

“When did you get out of the shower?” Fallon asked.

“I’m hungry,” Charlotte crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“What happened to your face?!” Liam scooted down on the mattress and leaned towards her to take a closer look at her skin.

“Is that _my_ face mask?” Fallon exclaimed.

“Yes,” she nodded, “I can feel its benefits already, my skin is as soft as a baby’s,”

“You _are_ a baby,” Liam mentioned.

“I’m six,” Charlotte told him, “ _Ollie_ is a baby,” she added, “but do you think you can leave the kissing for after dinner? When my stomach is full, I’m tucked nicely under my blankets and I don’t need to watch you to exchange germs with your tongues?”

“Yes, Miss Ridley, we can leave the kissing for after dinner,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh, “but in our defense, we didn’t think you’d be hungry so soon after eating that entire turkey leg at the park,”

“That was _hours_ ago, mom!” Charlotte countered.

“Room service?” Liam suggested.

“Please,” Charlotte replied immediately, “this way I don’t need to put on clothes,”

“Excuse me but if we can’t kiss then you can’t walk around the room naked,” he teased their daughter.

“I’m in a _bathrobe_ ,” Charlotte glanced down at her choice of outfit.

“Are you wearing anything underneath it?” Liam questioned.

“This is my beauty moment, dad, and you’re gonna give me wrinkles with all of this talking,” Charlotte spoke as she turned on her heels to head out of the bedroom. “I would like a burger with fries and an apple juice, please,” she told them before plopping down on the couch.

Throwing her arms behind her, she lied down on her back with one leg over the other while she rested her head on the crossed arms behind her. She closed her eyes and wondered for a moment why the room was so silent if her parents were supposed to be ordering room service, but everything started making sense when the noises she had heard only a few minutes ago resumed.

“I can _hear_ you kissing!” Charlotte exclaimed from the couch. “It’s a terrible sound and your daughter is hungry, you two,” she added, “you gotta remember kisses are only allowed when Charlotte is asleep,”

“What if I want to kiss your mom _right now_?” Liam covered Fallon’s lips with his and started humming and mumbling a horrible but teasing sound.

“Ew! That’s gross!” Charlotte complained.

“Hear that, Charlotte? Mommy is kissing me back,” Liam laughed as Fallon gave him quick smacks, just for the wet and loud sound.

“Thank god my eyes are closed right now,” she murmured.

“How did we even manage to get a second child with a first born like Charlotte?” Liam groaned, finally letting go of his wife to search for the phone.

“As she said it, kissing is allowed when she’s asleep,” Fallon shrugged, “at least she’s turned into a heavy sleeper... remember when she was a newborn and we couldn’t even touch each other without her crying her eyes out?” She told him. “That girl is probably a lot more effective than my birth control pills,” she sighed, “I’m guessing she’s about one hundred percent effective,”

“At least we can be glad we won’t get a third one,” Liam laughed, “it’s been months but I still get nightmares from that scare,”

“I’m back on the pill now so it’s all good, babe” she winked at him teasingly.

“Well, our shower last night _was_ quite satisfying so I guess we can wait until Miss Ridley falls asleep to continue this,”

“All I know is that the Paris getaway you promised me is becoming more and more appealing every day,” Fallon laughed.

“I promise we will get to that soon, Fal,” Liam told her, “what would you like for dinner?”

“A caprese salad is fine, I’m not that hungry,” she replied. “I will head to the shower and take Olivia with me before the food arrives,”

“Okay,” Liam nodded, “I will start organizing our stuff for tomorrow since I can’t really talk to the beauty queen during her princess moment,”

“Dad!” Charlotte called out. “Could you give my feet a massage? I walked so much today!”

“I still haven’t ordered dinner, your majesty,” Liam replied and Fallon could only shake her head.

“You better stop laughing, Fallon, if she’s acting like that it’s because her mother taught her that,” Liam rolled his eyes, “you sure you don’t want to join her at the spa?”

“No, I’m fine,” she laughed before walking towards the girls’ room to get Olivia ready for the shower.

Liam dialed the number for room service and quickly placed their dinner order, which would take about twenty minutes to arrive. Rounding the couch, he sat down on the end opposite from where Charlotte was lying down and raised her legs to let her feet rest on his lap.

“Do you think you can help me get our stuff ready for tomorrow, Charlotte?” Liam asked, pressing his thumb against the back of her foot.

“Sure, dad,” Charlotte replied, “after dinner?”

“How long is this spa supposed to be?”

“Until dinner gets here,” she mentioned, “I’m starving!”

“Should you really eat a burger and French fries after a spa session?” Liam frowned.

“I had plenty of exercise today, daddy,” Charlotte told him, “we walked miles and miles... could you press harder there?” She suggested when he touched a painful spot, “I think there might be a knot there,”

“Like this?” He pushed his thumb harder against her skin and she yelped. “Maybe you should wear different shoes tomorrow, princess,”

“Yeah, I might as well,” Charlotte groaned.

Dinner arrived shortly after Fallon and Olivia got out of the shower. Charlotte excused herself to the bathroom for a couple of minutes to remove the beauty mask from her face and wash her hands.

“We’re matching, Ollie!” Charlotte ran her hand softly through her sister’s hair when she noticed she was wearing her Woody robe. “Is your dinner good?” She asked as Olivia sucked hungrily on Fallon’s nipple.

The seven months old opened her mouth slightly and offered her sister a smile before closing her lips again. Charlotte placed a quick kiss on the top of her head then headed towards her seat at the table.

“Where are we going tomorrow?” She asked before biting on her burger.

“Hollywood Studios, princess,” Liam answered.

“We have a fastpass to meet Olaf first thing in the morning,” Fallon announced.

“What?!” Charlotte dropped her burger on her plate and her eyes widened in surprise. “We’re meeting Olaf tomorrow?”

“Yes, we are,” Liam smiled.

“Oh, thank god I had my beauty treatment tonight... I need to get a good night of sleep and choose my best outfit!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“I believe you promised to help me get things ready for tomorrow,” Liam mentioned.

“I will, daddy, but I’m going to bed as soon as we’re done,” she informed him.

“Waking up early on your own, tucking yourself in even before bedtime...” Fallon started, “why can’t that happen when it’s school night?”

“You should _never_ compare school to Disney World, mom,” Charlotte said before throwing a couple of French fries inside her mouth, “that’s an insult to Disney,”

“I thought you liked school,” Liam looked at her.

“I like Tuesdays and Thursdays because we have math class,” she told him, “but all the other days are boring,”

“You like English too,” Liam said while taking a sip of his juice.

“Don’t push it, babe,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh.

“ _You_ like English, daddy,” Charlotte countered, “Charlie likes math!”

“Alright, alright,” Liam raised his hands up in the air, “Charlie likes math,”

“Yes! That’s correct!” She exclaimed. “Mommy said I can get a summer job at Fallon Unlimited if I get an A on my finals,”

“Wow, that’s a really high grade, princess,” Liam acted surprised.

“I’m sure I can do it,” Charlotte smiled brightly, “I think Harvard would like to read about a summer job in my resumé,”

“Just make sure you negotiate great benefits with your boss,” Liam told her, “like health and dental insurance and sick pay,”

“Oh, I already did,” Charlotte glanced at Fallon before turning back towards her father.

“I will get all that but if I get an A+, I will get an ice cream voucher every Friday!” She spoke excitedly.

“That is even better than sick pay, princess!” Liam exclaimed, “you’re an amazing student, I’m sure you’ll get that job,” he leaned forward and ran a napkin over her nose to get rid of the mayo that had ended up almost all the way between her eyes.

“I’m sure she will,” Fallon smiled while running a hand through her daughter’s brown waves.

* * *

“I think I’m going to cry,” Charlotte whispered as they stepped into the Celebrity Spotlight attraction.

Hollywood Studios had just opened to the public and the line to meet Olaf was already estimated to be over one hour long. Even the fastpass line had a wait time of approximately twenty minutes and while that could be considered a short period of time, every minute felt like an eternity for Charlotte.

Liam was carrying their backpack on his shoulders and their large camera around his neck while Fallon held Olivia in his arms. For the first time that week, Charlotte wasn’t talking nonstop or jumping like crazy. Instead, she walked slowly, taking small steps and remaining closing to her parents the entire time while they walked up the line towards the entrance of the room.

“I’m sure he can’t wait to meet you, princess,” Liam ran his fingers gently through her hair.

“What if he doesn’t like me?” Charlotte asked.

“I can’t see why he wouldn’t like you, Charlie,” Fallon spoke up, “I’m sure he will be thrilled to meet you,”

“You can go in,” the blonde woman offered the family a smile before pointing towards the large doors.

“Oh my god,” Charlotte hugged Liam’s leg tightly the minute she laid her eyes on the tall snowman only a few feet from them. “It’s Olaf! It’s Olaf!”

“Now, _that’s_ my girl,” Liam and Fallon both started laughing at the sudden change in her mood.

“This is it! _This_ is how I die,” Charlotte placed both hands on her cheek, her mouth wide open and her eyes shining as she stared at her favorite character. “You have to capture everything, daddy!”

“I’m all set, princess,” he showed her the camera.

“Hello!” Charlotte waved at Olaf when it was her turn. “You are my favorite character!” She exclaimed before jumping against him, pushing herself against his white body as she wrapped her arms tightly around him. “I love you Olaf,”

Fallon smiled from ear to ear as she watched her daughter finally meet Olaf. Liam focused on snapping photos of them from every possible angle he could find, capturing them talking, hugging and even dancing as Olaf held her hand and swirled her around. He shook his body to the sides while Charlotte copied his movements, laughing as loud as she could.

“Ehh!” Olivia started jumping in Fallon’s arms when the song _“When I Am Older”_ from the second movie started playing.

“Go there with them,” Liam told Fallon.

“Olaf, this is mom and Ollie,” Charlotte introduced them.

Fallon took a couple of steps towards Olaf so her baby girl could get closer to him and she immediately leaned forward, placing both of her hands on his head.

“Ah ah!” Olivia kicked her legs, her tiny rosé Adidas hitting Fallon’s thighs as she played with the carrot on his nose. “Ehh,” she exclaimed.

“Olaf, can you give me your autograph?” Charlotte handed him her book. “You’re the _best_ character so I saved you a page right at the beginning!”

The Frozen snowman signed his name on Charlotte’s book before ruffling her hair playfully.

“You’re funny,” she laughed, pulling her pink headband back over her forehead until it was perfectly positioned on the top of her head, “just like I thought you would be!”

“Let’s get one of you all together?” Liam suggested.

Fallon and Olaf turned towards the camera while Charlotte stood right in front of them, but Olivia didn’t even bother to look at the camera, her eyes focused completely on the snowman next to her. Once Liam gave them the thumbs up, Charlotte gave Olaf one final hug before they started heading for the exit.

“Ohh,” Olivia turned towards the character, leaning against Fallon’s shoulder while reaching out as much as she could as if telling her mother that she wanted to walk _towards_ Olaf and not _away_ from him.

“Come on, Liv, we gotta go,” Liam ran his hand softly over her light hair, “your sister has dozens of Olaf’s back at home and I’m sure she won’t mind giving you one,”

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” The two adults had just stepped out of the building when Charlotte ran into their legs, hugging them at the same time as tight as she could. “Thank you!” She repeated. “You are the _best_. I love you so _much_!”

“You’re welcome, princess,” Liam placed his hand on the back of her hand, running his fingers through her brown waves as she continued to hug them.

“If you think you’re happy, Charlotte, you have no idea how happy daddy and I are to see you like this,” Fallon spoke softly. “We knew you were enjoying this trip but seeing you with Olaf was so much more, baby,”

“I’m so happy I got to meet Olaf!” Charlotte tightened her grip on their legs, preventing them from moving a single inch. “Thanks for bringing me to Disney!”

“You are very welcome, Charlie,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh. Placing his hands on her waist, he pulled her up, settling her against his body as he wrapped his arms around her small frame. “Meeting Olaf was a very special moment, right?” He whispered when she rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“It was, daddy,” Charlotte nodded. “Thank you,” he scooted closer to him and placed a kiss on her cheek. “Ollie loved him too!” She turned towards her mother and sister.

“She sure did, princess,” Fallon offered her a smile, “I have no doubt she will be following your footsteps in no time,” she laughed.

“I need to get Ollie her own Olaf!” Charlotte exclaimed. “You can put me on the floor now, daddy. We have some shopping to do,”

“Can’t you just give her one of yours?” Liam asked. “You have so many... why can’t she have one?”

“Ollie can’t have a hand-me-down Olaf, dad!” Charlotte frowned. “No, no, no,” she shook her head, “my sister is getting a _brand new_ Olaf,” she informed them while walking into the shop.

“We already have enough stuffed animals, Charlotte, so you better choose a small one,” Fallon told her. “Remember you still haven’t figured out how you’re taking them all back home, young lady,”

“Let’s see if she approves this one,” Charlotte handed her a small stuffed Olaf.

“Ah!” Olivia’s giggle echoed around the room as she waved the toy in front of her mother. “Ehh!” It didn’t take the seven months old longer than two minutes to take it to her mouth and start biting on his carrot nose.

“No, Ollie,” Charlotte reached for her arm and pulled her elbow down gently, trying to rescue the stuffed animal from her sister’s mouth, “you’re not supposed to eat the carrot, that’s his nose!”

“She’s teething, princess,” Fallon told her, “it’s quite uncomfortable so it’s normal for her to want to bite everything in front of her... specially stuffed animals because of the soft pressure against her gums,” she explained.

“It’s weird,” Charlotte frowned, “she’s gonna get drool all over the poor snowman,”

“You said it yourself that this is her own Olaf, princess, so let her have her own kind of fun,” Fallon spoke softly.

“Okay, let’s pay then,” Charlotte was walking towards the cashier when she spotted a dress she had _not_ seen at the store in Disney Springs. “Mom! Oh my god, _mom_!” She reached for one of the dresses and showed it to Fallon.

“That’s Elsa’s!” Fallon exclaimed.

“Yes! I can’t believe I didn’t get one when we were at Disney Springs! How did I even forget to ger Elsa’s dress?” Charlotte dramatized. “Mom, this is a tragedy!”

“Those were sold out,” a saleswoman told the six years old, “we got the shipment last night and we just brought them down to the store,” she explained. “What size would you like?”

“A six!”

“Here,” she looked through the dressed and reached for one on the very back.

“I can’t believe I met Olaf in these clothes,” Charlotte groaned as she glanced down at her outfit. “Where can I pay?”

“Follow me,”

“Ohh, I want this too,” she reached for the Olaf pen she found at the counter, “and this one too,” she slid the snow globe with Olaf and Sven inside the glass towards the woman.

“I think that’s enough, Miss Ridley,” Fallon placed a hand on her shoulder. Charlotte scanned her pink magic band before reaching for the plastic bag.

“Mom, can you keep my receipt?” Charlotte asked, handing her the small white paper.

“Of course, princess,” Fallon nodded, “but we can see all the purchases that were made with that magic band around your wrist, so you don’t really need to keep all of the receipts,”

“Well, you can show me how to do that later then,” Charlotte shrugged.

“Are you done, Charlotte?” Liam asked as the girls walked out of the store.

“I am, daddy, why?”

“I thought you would like that,” he pointed towards one of the buildings behind him.

“Jedi training?” Charlotte’s jaw fell to the floor. “Oh my god, yes!” She jumped in excitement. “Do you think I will get my _own_ lightsaber?”

“Who knows? Maybe they will recognize the Jedi in you and you’ll earn one,” Liam teased her. “Come on, we gotta sign you up for the training,”

While Liam took Charlotte to her first Star Wars themed attraction, Fallon walked towards the restaurant across from where the Jedi training was being held. After getting a bowl of fresh fruit salad and a large apple juice, she sat down at one of the small tables outside the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant then settled Olivia on her legs.

The seven months old hadn’t really had a great night of sleep that night because of the tooth that was currently trying to make his way through her gums. The youngest Ridley was exactly the opposite of her sister and instead of crying loudly all night long, she would usually cry to get someone’s attention, but she rarely continued once she was in one of her parents’ arms. Which meant Fallon had spent half the night walking around the hotel room, holding her against his chest as she sucked eagerly on the ice gel teething ring.

Eventually, Olivia ended up drifting off in her mother’s arms but groaned in complaint every time Fallon bent over to put her down on the crib. By four o’clock, Fallon decided to just go back to her bed and lied down carefully next to Liam while keeping her baby girl cradled against her chest. She didn’t exactly enjoy sleeping on her back but her daughter was finally comfortable and the last thing she wanted was to disturb her, so Fallon pulled the blanket over them and wrapped her arms around Olivia before closing her eyes.

As they shared the fruit salad, Olivia put her hand inside the bowl and reached for a pineapple before pushing it inside her mouth.

“Ehh!” She lifted her chin so she could stare up at her mother.

“Does your pineapple taste good, pumpkin?” Fallon placed a kiss on the top of her head and Olivia leaned back, resting her back against her mother’s chest. “You need to take a nap, Liv,” she ran her hand over her daughter’s light hair a few times as she watched her chew on the small yellow fruit. She could see her eyes starting to close slowly even though the seven months old was trying her best to stay awake.

Reaching for a napkin, Fallon ran the paper carefully over Olivia’s hands and wrists but she had already gotten most of the fruit she had been eating on her clothes. Fallon was so tired and sleepy that she hadn’t even thought of getting the baby bib before offering her daughter the morning snack.

“We’re gonna need clean clothes, baby,” Fallon spoke softly, wiping her own hands before hugging her Olivia closer to her chest, wrapping both of her arms around the baby girl as she leaned back on the chair. “Probably _both_ of us since you dropped your mangos all over mommy’s dress,” she giggled.

Having finished the fruit salad, Fallon started whispering one of the lullabies she used to sing to Charlotte when she was sick while running her hand gently up and down Olivia’s back. She placed her tiny hand over one of her mother’s breasts and breathed in her sweet but soft perfume as she snuggled even closer to Fallon. She had only been down for a couple of minutes when Fallon glanced at the attraction and noticed Liam and Charlotte stepping out of the building.

They were both wearing light brown Jedi capes with their hoods on while fighting against each other with a lightsaber. She could tell Charlotte was having trouble with the weight since she was holding it with both of her hands and couldn’t move it as swiftly as Liam was moving his but they seemed pretty caught up in their Jedi bubble.

“Oh no!” Charlotte threw herself on the floor when Liam touched her stomach with the tip of his blue saber.

“Great training, princess,” Liam offered her a hand then pulled her back up. “Let’s go find mom,” he wrapped an arm around his shoulders so they could head towards the Dine In together.

“I see someone had as much fun as Charlotte at that attraction,” Fallon murmured once they approached the table.

“It’s a lightsaber, Fal!” Liam pushed the button that revealed the large blue saber then hit the one right next to it to turn on the light. “Look at how smooth it feels,” he waved it in front of him and the saber started making the famous sounds from the movies.

“How old are you, Liam?” Fallon teased him.

“That doesn’t matter when it comes to Star Wars,” Liam rolled his eyes.

“I’m sure it doesn’t,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh at how excited her husband looked while playing with his lightsaber.

“How was the training, Charlotte?” Fallon asked when she pulled up a chair to sit right next to Fallon.

“It was good, mom,” Charlotte offered her a smile, “I got a certificate that I’m prepared to fight against the First Order if the Jedi’s ever need me,”

“You do know that mommy is not letting you go to war, right?” Fallon tightened the grip of her right arm around Olivia so she could use her other hand to play with Charlotte’s hair. “I love you too much to let you risk your life,”

“As cool as the other Jedi’s were, I think I would rather stay home with you anyway,” Charlotte leaned towards her mother to give her sleeping sister a small kiss on her forehead.

“You alright?” Liam closed his lightsaber then reached for Charlotte’s so he could put both inside his backpack.

“I’m so tired...” Fallon yawned. “Olivia finally fell asleep, so I don’t even want to move right now,” she admitted. “I tried to breastfeed her at her usual time but she kept rejecting it so I gave her some fruit... I think the chewing helped with the pain from the teething but it’s clear that her schedule will be a mess today,”

“What’s wrong, Ollie?” Charlotte spoke softly while running her fingers delicately down her cheek.

“Charlie, it’s almost noon and we have the fastpass to meet Elsa in forty minutes,” Liam informed her, “what do you say we have lunch now and I take you there right after? This way we can stay here with mommy for a little while then we meet Elsa and come back to get them,” he suggested, “this way mommy doesn’t have to get up and Elsa is not far from here so we should be back quickly,”

“Okay, dad,” Charlotte nodded. “Are you sick too, mommy?”

“No, princess, just tired,” Fallon replied, “your sister didn’t sleep well last night and neither did mommy,”

“Did she have nightmares like I did the other night?” Charlotte questioned. “Because I got a lot better when I slept with you...”

“She’s not having bad dreams, but she’s bothered by the teething... there’s not much we can do besides trying to make it feel less uncomfortable but she’s going to feel a bit blue,”

“Can I help, mom?” The younger brunette asked.

“For now, we need to let her rest but maybe later you can read her a story?” Fallon suggested. “You got those short stories at Disney Springs and I think I saw daddy put one or two in Olivia’s bag,”

“I can read them right after I meet Elsa!”

“That sounds like a plan, sweetie,” Fallon offered her a smile.

“Do you think I can borrow Ollie’s Olaf too see her?” Charlotte whispered.

“As long as you get it back exactly the way you found it, I’m sure she will be happy to let you have it, princess,” Fallon answered with a smile.

“Let’s get some food, Charlie,” Liam spoke up, “do you wanna go back to the hotel?” He leaned forward, running his fingers softly over Fallon’s neck and hair.

“No, it’s okay...” Fallon shook her head. “Charlotte would be devastated if I leave. Olivia is indeed cranky and clingy, but she’s been very good so far,”

“I know, Fal, but you’re exhausted...” Liam murmured, “maybe you should take the day off and rest,”

“I don’t want to leave with her while you stay with Charlotte,” Fallon told him, “either we all leave or I stay and I’m not telling Charlotte we can’t enjoy the rest of the park,”

“Fine,” Liam sighed, “but I’m getting you a burger and French fries and you’re going to eat the whole thing,” he placed a long kiss on the top of her head, “you only had a salad last night and you barely touched your breakfast this morning. I know you’re tired and you’re probably not hungry, but you need to eat,” he spoke seriously.

“Can you get me a milkshake as well?” Fallon asked. “Strawberry?”

“Of course,” Liam smiled at her before heading into the restaurant with Charlotte.

* * *

“Can we go to Toy Story Land?” Charlotte looked up from the large paper map in her hands.

It was shortly after one o’clock when father and daughter stepped out of the For The First Time In Forever attraction, having taken every possible photo with Elsa. Charlotte had dressed into her new costume and she hugged the small Olaf as tight as she could against her chest the whole time, making sure she wouldn’t drop him on the dirty floor or even worse, lose him in the park.

In the meantime, Fallon stayed at the exact same position while Olivia slept. She used the free time to check her e-mails and even make a short call to Allison in order to see if everything was running smoothly back at Fallon Unlimited in her absence. Allison had sent her a few reports for the first half of the month with their main numbers and since she had nowhere to go - at least not until her baby girl woke up from her nap - she took the time to read through the reports and analyze every number carefully.

“Of course, princess,” Liam nodded. “Can you lead the way?”

Olivia had just woken up by the time Liam and Charlotte arrived back at the restaurant and they made a quick stop at the restrooms before returning to their park activities. Fallon still needed to change Olivia’s diaper and clothes and Charlotte couldn’t stop complaining about how hot it was, deciding she would feel better if she took off the Elsa’s dress and changed back into her casual clothes. Once they were all ready, Charlotte reached for the map on the side pocket of Liam’s backpack to decide where she wanted to go next.

“Is Ollie awake?” Charlotte’s eyes widened when she looked up from her map one more time and read the name of the building right next to them. “Are you awake, baby?” She poked her head inside the stroller and offered her sister a bright smile once she saw her blue eyes wide open. “You gotta see this, Ollie,” the six years old rounded the stroller then stood between it and Liam. “Can I?” She asked her father.

“Gently,” Liam warned her and Charlotte started pushing the stroller towards one of the biggest signs on the building’s wall. She parked the stroller and ran back to its front, pushing then top all the way up so Olivia would have a clear view of the sign.

“Aaah!” Olivia screamed when she saw the short and round one-eyed monster on the wall. “Eh! Eh!” She threw her body forward, extending both of her arms towards the sign as she fought against the seatbelts holding her against the stroller.

“It’s Mike, Ollie!” Charlotte exclaimed. “The sign says we can meet him and Sulley!”

“Ehh!” Olivia looked up at her mother while groaning and kicking her legs.

“Isn’t it funny that she’s wearing a Stitch costume and when she groans like this she actually looks like him?” Charlotte laughed. “You are _so_ adorable, baby girl,” she squeezed her sister’s cheeks lightly.

“Uh, uh!” Olivia pointed her index finger at the sign.

“Let’s get you out of there, pumpkin,” Liam spoke up, walking around the stroller to unbuckle the seatbelt and finally take her in his arms. “You want to meet Mike?” He asked, bouncing her softly while her loud laugh echoed around them.

“Okay so I only get to sleep four hours, I become a human pillow for her naps and I have to deal with all the crankiness but when Charlotte shows her this green monster she’s all better?” Fallon looked between them in total disbelief. “It’s like she’s forgotten she’s been feeling off all morning,” she rolled her eyes as Olivia continued to laugh at the sign.

“I guess it’s safe to assume that I’m the baby whisperer,” Charlotte shrugged.

“I think _Mike_ should be considered the baby whisperer?” Liam teased his daughter.

“Mike is making her laugh but _I_ was the one who showed it to her in the first place,” Charlotte rolled her eyes, “which means _I’m_ the baby whisperer,”

“Alright then, Miss Baby Whisperer, can you guide us towards the attraction so we can take your sister to meet her favorite character?” Liam suggested.

“Of course! Follow me,”

The line to meet the Monsters Inc’s characters was short so it only took them about ten minutes to approach them. Fallon was holding the camera in one hand and her iPhone in the other, trying to record the scene in front of her while snapping photos of them meeting Sulley and Mike.

Charlotte hugged Sulley as soon as she got closer to him, her small frame and small arms practically disappearing in the blue and purple fur of the tall and fat monster while he wrapped his arms around her. Meanwhile, Mike was dancing and jumping around in his thing legs, shaking his arms up in the air as Olivia laughs filled the room. Liam was holding the seven months old against his chest, one arm around her stomach while the other held onto her legs but she couldn’t even stay still as Mike entertained her.

“Charlotte, do you want to hold your sister so we can take a photo of you two with them?” Liam suggested.

“Yes, dad!” Charlotte exclaimed, reaching out for her baby sister as Liam carefully placed her in his eldest’s arms. “Smile for the camera, Ollie,” she bounced Olivia softly while turning towards Fallon as Liam walked back towards his wife.

Fallon managed to capture a few photos of Olivia looking at the camera while Liam called her name, but it didn’t take her more than two minutes to turn around in Charlotte’s arms. The young brunette tightened her grip around the baby’s back as Olivia pushed her knees against her sister’s ribcage, trying to climb Charlotte’s body in an attempt of getting closer to Mike.

They waved goodbye at the characters right after Charlotte got an autograph from each one of them and walked out of the building. Charlotte stopped as soon as they got outside and placed her book carefully inside of the pockets of Liam’s back before taking her map out.

“Okay,” Charlotte bit her bottom lip as she read the map, “we’re right in front of the Pixar Place so we need to go right,” she told them.

“Princess, you noticed the monsters on this wall, but have you looked at that building?” Liam pointed towards one of the other buildings.

“Meet your favorite characters from Inside Out,” Charlotte read the large sign at the entrance. “Yes! I wanna meet them too!”

“Are we even going to this Toy Story Land?” Fallon questioned.

“Yes, mom,” Charlotte replied, “but we have to meet the emotions first,”

“Let’s meet those emotions then,”

The line to enter the Inside Out room was almost forty minutes long but Charlotte insisted on waiting. There were TVs playing the Pixar movie all over the walls during the entire line to entertain the guests and Charlotte even stopped walking when she got too focused on the movie. Fallon had both of her hands on her daughter’s shoulder so she could guide her when the movie became more important than actually _meeting_ the characters in it.

Olivia was resting against Liam’s chest, his arms around her back protectively as she snuggled against him. She was sucking on her teething ring while watching the movie, but Fallon could see her starting to close her eyes. She had napped for a couple of hours not that long ago, but the dimly lit room and her father’s cozy chest were enough to make her sleepy again.

 _“Bing Bong, Bing Bong,”_ Charlotte started singing, _“who's the best in every way, and wants to sing this song to say,”_ she shook her body while jumping up and down in excitement, _“Bing Bong, Bing Bong!”_

“Do you ever wonder what’s going to happen to this girl when we go back to Atlanta?” Liam whispered at Fallon.

“It has crossed my mind, yeah,” Fallon admitted, “but I’m trying not to think too much about it... I just hope she doesn’t cry the whole ride back home,”

“Joy! Sadness!” Charlotte ran towards them as soon as the old lady at the entrance gave her a nod. The two characters stepped closer to the little girl and hugged her tightly as Fallon snapped the photos.

Olivia was still watching the movie on one of the TVs while Charlotte asked Joy and Sadness for their autographs. She was so comfortable in her father’s arms that they decided not to bother her, allowing her to watch the movie peacefully as Charlotte posed with Joy for a couple more photos before doing the same with Sadness.

“You two are awesome!” Charlotte exclaimed. “I was so relieved when you got the core memories back and saved Riley!” She told them. “It was nice meeting you,” she waved them goodbye before exiting the room with her family.

* * *

“I _love_ when you come with me, mom,” Charlotte wrapped her arms around Fallon’s legs while they waited for the next car to arrive. “I know you don’t really like roller coasters but this one seems very light,” she mentioned.

“I have you to protect me if I need it, right?” Fallon asked softly, hugging her daughter closer to her.

“Of course, mom,” Charlotte nodded. “Where is this dog?” She stepped on the grid and leaned forward, trying to see if the Slinky Dog was coming. “There he is!” She turned towards her mother and noticed she was recording the car as it approached them. “Oh, hi mom’s followers!” She waved at the camera. “We’re going to ride the Slinky Dog ride and you’re welcome to join us!”

“Only you two?” Fallon nodded at the young man, “second row,”

“Mom, can I post the ride in your stories?” Charlotte asked while they stepped into the car.

“You can,” Fallon placed the strap of the phone case around Charlotte’s neck before handing her the iPhone, “you have to hold tightly onto it so it doesn’t fly off your hand, princess,” she explained. “I can hold you but please don’t let go of that phone,”

“I can do it, mom!”

“I don’t want to buy another phone, Charlotte, keep that in mind,” Fallon threw her a serious look as she checked how firm and secure the protection bar was on Charlotte’s body.

When the car started moving, Charlotte placed her elbows on the large black bar settled against her body and tightened the grip of her small fingers on her mother’s phone.

“Weee!” Charlotte screamed when the car started moving faster. “Wooow,” her upper body tilted to the left once they entered the first sharp curve of the ride.

“Charlotte Grace Ridley, you hold onto that phone!” Fallon ran a hand through her hair in desperation.

“I am!” Charlotte replied. She continued to scream in excitement as the Slinky Dog kept moving in circles while going up and down on the tracks. “This is so fun! Weeeee!”

“Oh, dear lord,” Fallon sighed when the Slinky Dog car started to slow down right under a sign with “ _Go!”_ written on it.

“Go! Go!” The kids started screaming. “Go!”

Suddenly, the car began to move backwards until it stopped completely. A thrilling song started playing as the vehicle started accelerating and in a matter of seconds, they were hitting full speed and heading so up high they could only see the sky for a moment.

“Ooooh!” Charlotte exclaimed, glancing at her mother for a moment to see if she was having fun. Switching to the front camera, the six years old leaned against her mother for a moment and recorded the two of them. “How fun is this ride, mom?”

“It’s very fun, Charlie,” Fallon couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

“This is Mrs. and Miss Ridley, coming to you right from the Slinky Dog Dash ride in Hollywood Studios, in Orlando, Florida,” Charlotte continued.

“You should all ride it if you ever come to Disney World,” Fallon told the camera, “this little one here is most certainly having a blast,” she glanced at her daughter.

“We both are! So, if you’re planning a trip to Disney World, add this ride to your list!” She exclaimed before switching back to the rear camera so she could resume recording the ride.

“Guys, can you see that sign?” Charlotte asked as they approached a _“The Big Finale”_ sign before slowing down again.

Wheezy, the penguin with the cute red bowtie, was standing on a few toy blocks, holding a microphone in his hand while he sang _“You’ve Got a Friend in Me”_ to wrap up the ride.

“I can’t believe it’s over already,” Charlotte sighed when she noticed they were back at the line. “I could live in this ride!”

“It was a fun ride, I will admit,” Fallon reached for Charlotte’s hand to help her get out of the car. “You sounded adorable narrating the ride,”

“Thank you!” Charlotte offered her a smile, “I just need to watch the video again to see if I need to edit anything before uploading it,” she explained. “I’m sure your followers will _love_ it,”

“I’m _sure_ they will, princess,” Fallon laughed.

“I also need to post photos to my feed! I haven’t done that since Animal Kingdom,” Charlotte told her mother, “my followers are probably wondering where I am,”

“We can do all of that when we sit down for our afternoon snack, alright?” Fallon suggested.

“I told you I wouldn’t drop your phone, mom, I can be very careful,” Charlotte spoke while placing the iPhone in her mother’s hand.

“You can also be very _clumsy_ , princess,” Fallon teased her, “but you were great. You didn’t drop it and I’m sure you got an amazing video,”

Liam was waiting right at the exit for them, walking around with Olivia in his arms while he gave her the bottle. Her tiny hands were holding the pink bottle and her eyes were wide open as she stared at the colorful roller coaster above them. Every time the Slinky Dog rode past them, she would let go of the bottle and laugh before focusing back on her milk.

“How was the ride, girls?”

“Amazing!” Charlotte threw her arms up in the air.

“Olivia and I were watching everything from down here,” Liam told her.

“Did you see us up there?” Charlotte asked.

“We did! The car was very fast, but we caught a few glimpses of you two,”

“Mom was so worried about her phone during the whole ride she didn’t even enjoy it properly,” Charlotte murmured.

“Charlotte wanted to record the ride and all I could see was my phone falling from her hands,” Fallon explained when Liam looked at them confused, “but she was careful and didn’t let go of it, not even for a second,”

“You recorded the whole ride?!” Charlotte nodded with a huge smile. “I can’t wait to see it!”

“Mommy said we can watch it again when we stop for our afternoon snack,”

“It’s almost four... are you girls hungry?” Liam asked.

“Not really,” Charlotte shook her head. “Can we eat after we go to the Millennium Falcon?”

“We can,” Liam paused, “but we have to wait until your sister finishes her bottle, okay?” She nodded.

“Mom, can you take me to the restroom?”

“Sure, baby, come on,” Fallon locked her hand in hers so they could head to the ladies’ room.

When they finally got to the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge area, Olivia had already fallen asleep in the stroller, but the pain soon came back and she started waking up every few minutes. As Fallon pushed the stroller, the motion would eventually put her back to sleep but as they approached the Millennium Falcon attraction, she started crying.

“Come here,” Fallon unbuckled the seatbelt and pulled her up, settling her baby girl against her chest. “Why are you so cranky today, Stitch?” She asked softly.

“I want to dress as Princess Leia,” Charlotte told Liam.

“Charlotte, I think you have enough costumes already,” Liam turned towards Fallon and he could tell she was trying hard not to laugh as they exchanged looks.

Liam knew he wasn’t supposed to have that kind of thought when his innocent six years old asked to dress as the Star Wars’ princess, but he just couldn’t help it. As soon as the image of the white gown and cinnamon hair buns filled his brain, he was immediately taken back to a couple of years back, when he got home from work one day and Fallon was dressed as Princess Leia. He could still remember vividly how she was lying in the middle of the bed, one knee up as she threw him her most seductive look.

Fallon tried to focus on her baby girl as much as she could but every time she glanced back at Liam, he had the worst look on his face as Charlotte insisted on getting a Princess Leia costume. It was as if he was staring at nowhere, trying to come up with probably a lame excuse to tell their daughter. Fallon knew exactly what was going through his mind at that moment and she couldn’t help but find it very amusing to watch her husband lose his words and panic like that.

“All I’m saying is that you’ve bought dozens of costumes already, Charlotte,” Liam continued. “Why do you need _another_ one?”

“Because I want to ride the Millennium Falcon in character!” Charlotte insisted.

“You bought Elsa’s dress and you took it off after one hour, Charlotte,” he countered.

“It is _hot,_ and it had long sleeves. I was sweating all over my new dress,” she told him.

“If you keep acting out like this, you won’t ride the Millennium Falcon at all!” Liam exclaimed.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Fallon approached them and stood between the two, “why are you even arguing about this?” She looked between her daughter and husband. “You’re acting like a child, Liam!” She whispered at him.

“Can you tell dad that it’s okay to buy one more costume if I have the money?” Charlotte asked her mother.

“Charlie, you do have a lot of costumes already... if you get this one, it will be the _last_ one,” Fallon spoke seriously, “I don’t care if you find the best costume ever tomorrow... if you buy this one, you’re _not_ getting another one,” she explained.

“But I have my own money…” she murmured.

“I know you have money, Charlotte, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend it on every single thing you see in front of you,” Fallon advised, “and you’re still six year old, princess, you’re going to grow up and none of them will even fit you in a year,”

“I can leave them for Olivia to wear when she grows up,”

“Are you sure you want to spend your money on another costume?” Charlotte nodded. “Alright, you can have one more costume and that’s enough. Are we _clear_?”

“We are clear,” the six years old nodded.

“Why don’t you get the Rey costume though?” Fallon glanced at Liam for a quick second before turning back towards her daughter. “She was very brave, just like Leia! I can help you with your hair too if you want,”

“You think she’s braver than Leia?” Charlotte frowned.

“I think she is, princess,” Fallon nodded, “Princess Leia was a hit _decades_ ago... I think you’ll look more in character if you got Rey’s costume,”

“That’s a fair point,”

“What the hell was that?” Fallon hit Liam’s shoulder when Charlotte walked towards the stroller to get a bottle of water.

“I-“ Liam was just about to speak up when Fallon cut him off.

“I know exactly what you were thinking, Liam, so don’t even try to deny it!” Fallon rolled her eyes. “You started a stupid argument with her because you couldn’t stop picturing me as Leia on top of you?” She covered the baby’s ears as she whispered the last few words.

“I couldn’t help it!” Liam ran a hand through his hair.

“Liam!” Fallon exclaimed. “She’s six!”

“I know, I know,”

“Not only is she _six_ years old but she’s your _daughter_ , Liam,” Fallon told him.

“To be fair, she does have enough costumes already!” Liam mentioned.

“She does, but you couldn’t even give her a proper reason not to get it,” Fallon told him, “it looked like you were a six years old just like her, bickering over something meaningless,”

“I’m sorry, okay?” Liam reached for her cheek, running his thumb softly over her skin. “I was out of line, I admit... but it just,” he paused, “that image of you just popped in my head and I couldn’t shake it off as much as I tried,”

“I can dress up for you again once we get back to Atlanta, but you better stop having that kind of thoughts!” Fallon threw him a glare. “I won’t ever let Charlotte dress as Princess Leia after what we did that night, but she doesn’t need to know that so we gotta think of good excuses for her, okay?” He nodded. “Good, now go get that costume while I try to get this one back to sleep,”

* * *

As incredible and exciting the ride at the Millennium Falcon had been, it was relatively short considering the two Star Wars’ fans could spend the entire day riding the spaceship if they could. Fallon and Olivia were already at the meeting point by the time they returned, no longer than half an hour after heading towards the attraction. Charlotte had gotten fastpasses to meet Chewbacca and Darth Vader at the Star Wars Launch Bay, so Fallon suggested they started heading back towards the main area of the park.

They only had a couple more places to visit before returning to the hotel, but Fallon was on a tough mission to get Charlotte to eat. The six years old had completely rejected every opportunity of getting an afternoon snack, telling her parents she wanted to go to one more ride or meet one more character before sitting down for a meal. The couple was already dealing with one cranky child that day and they were trying to avoid doubling that number at all costs.

“I’m starting to get worried, Charlie,” Fallon spoke as they walked through the Animation Courtyard, “yesterday you couldn’t _stop_ eating and today you don’t want to eat anything _at all_?”

“My stomach feels weird,” she murmured.

“That’s because you haven’t eaten anything in hours, princess,” Liam told her.

“I ate an apple,” Charlotte shrugged, “and M&M’s,”

“An apple can’t satisfy a girl your size, Charlotte,” Fallon replied, “and I’m not even gonna comment on those M&M’s,”

“We only have twenty minutes to meet Chewbacca before our fastpass expires but your mother will be waiting with your sister at the quick service restaurant right outside,” Liam placed a hand on her upper back, “so we’re going to meet Chewie and then you, Miss Ridley, are going to sit down at a table and you’re going to have a proper meal for dinner,”

“What about Darth Vader, dad?” Charlotte looked up at him. “We can’t leave without meeting Darth Vader! He’s the most important character!” She exclaimed. “Oh no, let me rephrase that,” she paused, “he’s the _best_ character in Star Wars! You know that, daddy, he’s your favorite too...”

“We have two hours to use our fastpass, Charlotte, and don’t even try to use those puppy eyes on me or your mom because you are _not_ meeting Darth Vader until you eat dinner,” he shot her a glare and while feeling disappointed, Charlotte could only look down at her feet.

“Can we go meet Chewie then? Before our time is up?” She asked softly.

“Of course, come on,”

They managed to get to Star Wars Launch Bay a few minutes before their time was up. Walking into the room, Liam picked his little girl up in his arms and settled her against the right side of his body, wrapping her legs around his waist as he looked into the blue eyes - the ones that matched her mother’s perfectly and the ones that he was crazy in love with.

“What’s going on, Charlie?” He asked honestly. “You’ve been acting weird ever since the costume incident,”

“You never talk to me like that...” Charlotte murmured. “You get mad with me sometimes, but you were arguing with me like you do with mom when you two are fighting,” she explained.

“Daddy didn’t mean to hurt you in any way, princess,” Liam started, “your mom let me know I wasn’t acting nicely and then I realized I had been awful with you and for that, I’m sorry, Charlie,” he placed a soft kiss on her cheek, “I did think you had too many costumes already and I didn’t really want you to get another one but as a father, I should have been more clear and understanding with you. We shouldn’t have argued, and I should have just explained to you why you shouldn’t get another costume,”

“Mommy said I’m gonna lose all of my costumes in a year,” Charlotte whispered sadly.

“Probably even sooner, princess, but that’s because you’re growing up! Look how tiny Olivia is and how tall _you_ are...” He told her. “I can still remember the day we brought you home for the first time. I remember it like it was yesterday and look how big you’ve gotten!” He squeezed her body and Charlotte laughed loudly. “Just promise me you’re going to find a way to wear all those costumes when we are back home,”

“Grandpa has already invited me to a party at the Manor,” Charlotte told him, “he e-mailed all of the details to mom, but he told me I have to wear my prettiest costume!”

“That sounds like fun, I’m sure you’ll choose the coolest one,” Liam smiled. “Do you forgive me?”

“Of course, daddy,” Charlotte wrapped her arms around his neck, “do you forgive me for throwing a tantrum outside?”

“Yes, princess,” Liam giggled.

“Your turn,” the old man pointed towards the tall brown-haired character.

“Chewie!” Charlotte ran towards him. He crouched down on the floor and wrapped his arms around the little girl dressed like Rey. “I love you so much, Chewie!”

“Oh! Oh!” Chewbacca hit his chest and let out his most famous sound.

“Hey, Chewie!” Liam pulled him in for a hug once he stood up and Charlotte frowned, staring at her father suspiciously as she had never seen him act like that near a character. “It’s so nice to meet you, man!”

“Are you _crying_ , dad?” Charlotte teased him.

“Can you take a picture for me, Charlie?”

“Yeah, yeah,” she rolled her eyes as she got the camera and carefully snapped a few shots of Liam and Chewbacca.

“Can I have your autograph, please?” Charlotte offered him her book.

“Oh, can I have one too?” Liam asked excitedly as he pulled a napkin out of his pocket.

“Where did _that_ come from?” Charlotte looked at him intrigued.

“Oh Chewie!” Liam pulled him in for another hug and the Wookiee wrapped his arms around the young man. He shrugged at Charlotte at her father’s spontaneity and the six years old could only laugh at that scene.

“Bye Chewie!” Charlotte waved at him before turning towards her father, who was standing still while staring at the autograph he had just gotten on his napkin. “Are you okay, daddy?”

“I can’t believe I just met Chewie!” Liam exclaimed.

“You’re not going to cry, are you?”

“You cried when you met Olaf,”

“Okay, that’s fair,” Charlotte shrugged, “he was very polite and nice. I love Chewie,” she rambled, “I wish I had one... I’m pretty sure he would be the best partner ever!”

“I have no doubt in that,” Liam replied. “He was such a good and loyal friend to Han Solo...” he covered his mouth with his hand.

“Don’t use your napkin as a tissue!” Charlotte pulled the small piece of paper from his hand before he ruined it.

“And now he’s partner is gone, and I know he has new friends, but he doesn’t have his _real_ partner anymore, you know?” Liam mumbled. “He doesn’t have Han Solo to fly with him through all of the galaxies in the Falcon anymore,”

“It’s okay, daddy, it’s okay,” Charlotte pulled him in for a hug, “I’m sure Chewie is very happy with his new friends now...” She told him. “Besides, Han Solo and Leia can be together now that they’re both a star and I’m pretty sure that even though Chewie misses his best friend very much, he’s happy that he’s finally with his wife again,” she tightened her grip on his legs before looking up at him. “Are you okay? Do I need to get mom?”

“I’m okay, princess, I’m okay,” Liam reached for her hand so they could finally head out of the building.

“What took you guys so long?” Fallon checked the time on her phone when they each took a seat at the table she was already at.

“Daddy had a breakdown,” Charlotte sighed while reaching for the menu on the center of the round table, “he cried when he remembered Chewie doesn’t have his best friend anymore,”

“What?” Fallon’s eyes widened in surprise. She was _not_ expecting anything like that to be the reason why they were late. “You _cried_?!”

“Excuse me if I have emotions!” Liam rolled his eyes at his wife, who was burst out laughing. “I’ve watched Star Wars ever since I was a little boy and it was very emotional to meet him, okay?” He explained.

“I made it all better though,” Charlotte told Fallon, “but I think he’s still weird,” she glanced at him, “maybe you know how to fix him, mom,”

“I still can’t believe you had a breakdown in front of all those kids,” Fallon covered her mouth with one hand while running the other below her eyes to get rid of the tears because she simply couldn’t stop laughing. “I know you’re a Star Wars geek, but never could I have imagined you would be this puddle after meeting Chewbacca,” she teased him.

“I’m glad my misery is so entertaining, Mrs. Ridley,” he glared at her, “but just know that I will remember that next time you use a whole box of tissues to dry the tears from that rain scene at the end of Breakfast at Tiffany’s,”

“Ohh, he hit a nerve,” Charlotte commented. “Daddy 1, mommy 0,”

“Well, it’s going to be quite hard to have movie nights considering you’ll be sleeping on the couch from now on,” Fallon rolled her eyes.

“Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a classic and we’re not allowed to complain or say anything while mommy watches it over and over again,” Charlotte spoke one of Fallon’s life mottos that she had memorized years and years back. “Daddy 1, mommy 1,” she added, “we have a tie, people!”

“You better pull yourself together otherwise you won’t be able to walk out of Darth Vader’s room alive...” Fallon kept teasing him, “I mean, he _is_ your favorite character, after all,”

“Daddy 1, mommy 2,” Charlotte exclaimed while leaning towards Olivia, “mommy has _turned_ the game, Ollie!” She spoke right at her face.

“I wonder what would happen if you could meet Audrey Hepburn,” Liam started, “I bet that classy and fierce Fallon would become nothing but a puddle of tears...”

“And we’re back to a tie!” Charlotte continued, “daddy 2, mommy also 2,”

“Are we going to eat or what?” Fallon asked while trying to change the subject.

“I was enjoying the game,” the six years old pouted in disappointment.

“We’re going to miss our meeting with Darth Vader if I keep teasing your mom,” Liam laughed, “can you come with me to get the food, princess?”

“But I want to know who wins!” Charlotte insisted.

“Mommy always wins, Charlotte,” Liam shrugged, “daddy just nods and accepts his loss,”

Liam was ordering their dinner when Charlotte reached for the empty paper cups and headed towards the soda fountain machine. He had told her to wait for him to get the beverages, but she had insisted on doing it by herself. She had already gotten her mother’s ginger ale and closed the lid on the cup but as soon as she pushed the coke button to fill the second cup, she hit the cup while moving her hand down and it fell, spilling the black liquid all over her costume and shoes.

“Daddy!” Charlotte screamed.

“Oh my god, Charlotte! I told you to wait for me!” Liam groaned as the cashier handed him the small paper with his order number.

“I ruined my costume,” she started crying when he approached her. “It’s _ruined_ , daddy,”

“It’s just coke, princess,” Liam told her. “We will wash it as soon as we get back to the hotel, okay? It will look as if it was still brand new, I promise,”

“No stains?”

“No stains, Charlie,”

“How am I supposed to meet Darth Vader now?” Charlotte whined. “I’m a _mess_!” She threw her arms up in the air. “How could I have been so _stupid_?”

“Shh, don’t say that,” Liam ran his hand over her head, “you should have waited like I told you to but now what’s done it’s done... I have a clean outfit for you in my backpack so all you need to do is change, okay?”

“But I won’t be in character anymore...” Charlotte complained.

“I got your favorite pink stripped jumpsuit and a pretty white shirt, princess,” he mentioned. “I’m sure you will look very well dressed,”

“Our food is ready,” Charlotte pointed towards the counter when the guy screamed their number.

“Can you hold this?” Liam handed her the only cup she had managed to fill and waited until she had it secured in both hands before letting go. He reached for their tray and they walked back to the table together.

“Your drink, mom,” Charlotte placed the cup carefully in front of her mother, “mine is all over me, as you can see,” she took a step backwards and Fallon’s eyes widened at the sight of her daughter’s cream colored costume covered in coke.

“I will get you another one, Charlotte,” Liam placed the tray on the table before heading towards the soda fountain.

“What is this?” Fallon frowned, pointing at the paper box right in the middle of the tray.

“Churros!” The young brunette replied.

“They are red and blue,” she leaned forward, analyzing them carefully with a disgusted face.

“They are lightsabers, mom,” Charlotte rolled her eyes, “see?” She reached for one of them so Fallon could see the small paper that resembled the silver part of the lightsaber at the bottom of those churros.

“I have no idea of who the two of you are anymore,” Fallon looked between them. “One went from finding characters boring to crying in front of a Wookiee and the other went from falling in love with a sweet snowman to wanting to be a Jedi to battle against Darth Vader,”

“I got you two a present while you were meeting Chewbacca,” Fallon reached for one of the plastic bags under the stroller and handed it over to Liam. He put his burger back on the paper box and cleaned his hands with the napkins to check what was inside.

“What is it, daddy?” Charlotte kneeled on her chair, trying to see what her mother had bought.

“Wow!” Liam’s jaw fell when he pulled out the black V-neck t-shirt with Darth Vader’s face and “ _Best Dad In The Galaxy”_ written in bold red letters on it. “I love it, Fal!” He stood up from his chair and thanked her with a quick peck on the lips.

“Where’s mine?” Charlotte reached for the plastic bag and pulled out her own t-shirt, a light blue one with the main droids in it. “C3PO, R2D2 and BB8! Thanks, mom!”

After dinner, Charlotte and Liam went back to the Star Wars Launch Bay to meet their favorite character and Fallon headed towards the Sunset Boulevard to take a walk with Olivia at the park’s main street. The seven months old baby had woken up just as they were finishing up dinner and she had to keep her awake and entertained at least until they had a chance to take their family photos.

When the two Star Wars geeks returned, they couldn’t stop talking about how amazing and extraordinary it was to meet the great Darth Vader.

“Oh, ice cream!” Charlotte exclaimed before taking a bite of the ice cream her mother was holding.

“Hey!” Fallon countered. “I was making a story!”

“Let me see,” Charlotte approached her mother and pushed herself on her tiptoes to get a better look at the screen. “I think it’s adorable,” she mentioned at the shot of her stealing one of the ears from her mother’s Mickey Premium Ice Bar.

“Now Mickey is missing a ear,” she groaned while taking another photo of the ice cream.

“How is my Stitch doing?” Liam giggled at his baby girl as he took her in his arms. “We’re going to take a lot of photos once mommy finishes her ice cream,” he bounced her slightly, glad to see she was happy and well rested after being so uncomfortable and in pain throughout the day.

“Can we take photos with balloons today?” Charlotte suggested when she noticed a man selling Mickey balloons only a few feet from where they stood.

“Of course,” Liam nodded while reaching for his wallet, “here,” he handed her a few bills then watched as she approached the man.

“Excuse me, I would like two balloons,” Charlotte asked him.

“Very well, little one!” He exclaimed, “what colors do you like the most?”

“I want the pink one,” she pointed at the light pink balloon, “and the red one for my baby sister,”

“Thank you!” Charlotte offered him a smile as he handed her the two balloons. “Here,” she handed him one of the bills, “you can keep the change, Sir,” she smiled again before running back towards her family with the balloons flying behind her.

“Stand over there, babe,” Fallon suggested, pointing to the middle of the street. “Let’s enjoy this moment of peace before she decides to cry again,” she laughed.

“Okay, let’s try this,” Liam stepped forward, standing a few feet from Fallon, in the middle of the long street that led towards the Hollywood Tower. Holding Olivia tightly by her waist, he pulled her up, settling her on his shoulders.

“Liam! She can’t hold herself still like that!” Fallon was horrified to see her baby girl standing so high and so far from the ground.

“I’m holding her, Fal,” Liam replied before looking up at Olivia, who placed her tiny hands on his cheeks while looking back at her father. “You’re enjoying that, aren’t you, pumpkin?” He giggled at her.

“Liam, please,” Fallon threw him a glare, “put her down,”

“One photo, Fal,” Liam begged. “Look at mommy, Liv,” he exclaimed, shaking his body as he tried to get at least one laugh out of her.

Fallon held the large camera in front of her face and snapped a few shots of the two. Liam tried to entertain Olivia while posing for the pictures and the little Stitch on his shoulders only got happier as her father made all kinds of funny faces. Reaching for her hands, he gripped them as tight as possible in his before raising them up in the air. Liam opened his mouth and widened his eyes in excitement as he jumped up, his feet leaving the ground for a couple of seconds while Olivia let out her loudest laugh of the day. The seven months old was staring brightly at her father, the Stitch hood covering half of her face as she continued to laugh at Liam.

“Liam Ridley!” Fallon screamed. She was able to get a few photos of them playing and even managed to capture a couple of shots of Liam jumping but she could swear her heart was going to jump out of her chest. She could feel it accelerating more and more at every second Liam kept holding Olivia on his shoulders.

“Baby girl coming down,” Liam sighed, “relax, Fal,” he couldn’t help but laugh at her panic as he brought Olivia back to his chest. “As if I would ever drop my own daughter,”

“I didn’t say that. I _know_ you would never drop her on _purpose_ , but she could easily slip,” Fallon groaned.

“She wasn’t going to slip out of my grip, babe,” Liam approached her and ran his thumb softly over her cheek. “Let’s take some more photos, okay?”

“Don’t do that again!”

“How is this?” Liam held Olivia up in the air and she started laughing again. Swirling around slowly, he made airplane noises as he moved her up and down in the air as if she were flying.

“Eh! Eh!” Olivia screamed while kicking her legs in excitement.

“I want it too!” Charlotte ran towards her father. “Can I fly too?”

“Why don’t you pose with your sister for a couple of photos and then we can fly?” Liam suggested.

“Okay,” Charlotte nodded, reaching her arms out so Liam could place Olivia against her chest, “hi Ollie,” she smiled, “daddy, can I have my balloons?”

Liam wrapped the thin string of the red balloon around Olivia’s wrist softly as Charlotte reached for the pink one.

“Come on, Liv, look here,” he snapped his fingers to get her attention and stood right next to Fallon while she took the photos. “Olivia!” He screamed and the baby girl finally looked up. “Focus on daddy, pumpkin,”

“Smile, Ollie,” Charlotte leaned towards her sister, placing a kiss on her cheek as she held her in front of her body.

When Olivia noticed the balloon moved every time she moved her arm, she started shaking it in every direction, looking up at the red balloon and laughing loudly at it. Turning towards the camera, Charlotte started shaking her own balloon so Fallon would get more photos of them playing together.

“Daddy, she’s getting heavy,” she murmured after holding her sister for about ten minutes while Fallon photographed every single moment between the two.

“Hold on, princess,” Liam told her as he finished buckling the baby carrier against his body.

Taking Olivia in his arms, Liam placed her inside the baby carrier before crouching down on the floor for Charlotte to climb on his shoulders.

“As much as I love this specific photo, you could have thought of an easier pose,” Liam teased Fallon, who only rolled her eyes at her husband before focusing back on the camera.

“Yay!” Charlotte screamed, throwing her arms up in the air while Liam held onto her legs.

“Perfect touch, princess,” Liam commented.

For their final set of photos, Liam put the baby carrier back in the stroller and took Charlotte in his arms. As Fallon asked a random guest to take a few family photos for them, he played with his eldest just like he had done with Olivia. Looking at them, Fallon held Olivia up in the air as the young man captured photos of the family.

“Hi again, Ollie!” Charlotte waved at her sister when Fallon and Liam held them closer together up in the air. The girls were both laughing and extending her hands towards each other while their parents stared up at them.

The Ridley’s posed for a few more photos, mostly ordinary and normal shots of them staring at the camera, but when Fallon started heading towards him to get the camera back, the young man spoke up, suggesting a few more poses.

“My sister is an influencer, I’m used to it,” he explained, “she keeps telling me how we should always have thousands of photos to save this kind of memory forever so I really don’t mind taking more photos of you, if you want,” he offered them a smile.

They gladly accepted his suggestions and the young man spent the next ten minutes taking every possible photo of the family. For the last photo, Fallon and Liam leaned towards each other as the girls did the same - Olivia in Liam’s arms while Fallon carried Charlotte - and the young man captured a photo of the couple kissing as the girls shared an eskimo kiss right below their parents’ faces. The pink balloon was flying right next to Liam, the string still attached to Olivia’s wrist while the red one flew right next to Fallon as Charlotte held it in her hand.

“Perfect!” He exclaimed.

“Thank you so much,” Fallon offered him a smile as she got the camera back.

“You’re welcome. I hope you like them,”

“I’m sure we will,” Fallon replied before the young man walked away, heading back towards his group of friends.

“Can we look at all the photos now?” Charlotte questioned. “I need to post today’s characters on my Instagram!” She exclaimed.

“Let’s head back to the hotel and we can upload them all to my laptop,” Fallon suggested, “the ones in the camera are high definition so we can choose some of them for you to post,”

* * *

“Daddy, how is my bow?” Charlotte turned around when Liam kneeled on the ground.

“It’s fine, Charlotte,” Liam sighed.

“You asked for the perfect photo to post on your Instagram, daddy,” Charlotte placed her hands on her hips as she stared at him, “which means I can’t look _fine_ , I have to look _outstanding_!”

“Your bow looks great, princess,” Fallon reassured her, leaning forward to check the light blue carefully wrapped around her hair bun.

“It’s a shame mommy made me wear this long-sleeved shirt,” she complained at the white shirt she wore beneath the Star Wars one her mother had gotten her the day before

“It’s cooler this morning and I don’t want you to get sick,” Fallon told her, “the temperature will go up soon but you insisted on arriving at eight o’clock sharp so you have to wear the long sleeves until it gets a little warmer,”

“Okay,” Charlotte sighed, “I think I’m good, daddy,” she took a step forward and turned away from her parents, facing the Cinderella castle while holding her colorful lollipop in her right hand. “Tell me when you’re done!” She screamed, trying to stand as still as possible for the photo. “You have to fit me, the castle and my lollipop in the picture, daddy!”

“Don’t worry, princess, your influencer mom is helping me get the perfect shot,”

“Are you done? My arm is getting numb,” Charlotte complained.

“Yes, we’re done,” Fallon informed her. “Come take a look to see if you approve it,” Liam turned his iPhone towards her, and Charlotte leaned forward to take a closer look at the photo.

“I like it,” Charlotte smiled, “you can post it,”

“Thank you,”

“It’s a shame you don’t have as many followers as mom,” she shrugged, “you’re a writer, daddy, you should really be more famous,”

“I think I’m fine with my current fame, Charlie,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh, “at least I have more than twenty followers,”

“I have twenty- _three_ followers, daddy!” Charlotte rolled her eyes at him.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Liam replied, “I’m sure you’re the most famous six years old in Atlanta,”

“I _hope_ I am,” she added.

“Now that you and your dad have the perfect photo of you, may I ask where we’re going first, Miss Ridley?” Fallon asked.

“Let me see,” Charlotte opened her map, “can you hold this end for me?” Fallon grabbed the right end of the map while the younger brunette moved her index finger over the map. “On Sunday we covered everything on the right side of the park,” she murmured, “so I suggest we start by turning left at the castle to head to Adventureland,” she looked between her parents, “then we can go up to Frontierland because I wanna ride Splash Mountain,” she pointed at the water ride so they could see where it was, their eyes following her hand as she decided on their itinerary for the day, “then we start heading back to the castle through this street,” she continued, sliding her finger over the street that led to Liberty Square.

“The Haunted Mansion is right over here,” Charlotte showed them the attraction as she continued, “and we absolutely have to go there and then we have this kids’ area behind the castle that I think Olivia is going to enjoy,” she explained, “the rides look kind of boring but it’s our last day and our girl deserves to have some fun too!”

“Did you just plan this?” Liam asked, both surprised and confused with how fast she had come up with a great itinerary.

“Of course not,” she rolled her eyes nonchalantly and Fallon didn’t have time to hold the loud laugh that escaped her lungs when they heard their daughter’s sassy reply, “I did it last night,”

“When you were supposed to be _sleeping_?” Liam questioned.

“Okay, maybe I lost half an hour of sleep but I’m wide awake now,” she shrugged. “It’s our last day, dad! We can sleep when we get back to Atlanta, but we have to spend as much time as possible here,”

“Alright, alright,” Liam sighed.

“Let’s go then,”

“Where exactly are we heading?” Fallon asked.

“Pirates of the Caribbean!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“Great,” Fallon smiled, “an attraction for daddy to ride while mommy relaxes,” she tapped Liam’s shoulder playfully.

“You’re not scared of the pirates, are you?” Charlotte frowned, staring up at her mother while they walked down Main Street.

“Of course not,” Fallon shook her head, “I just think it’s the kind of ride your father would enjoy,” she told her, “I’m gonna save my energy for the carrousel,”

“It’s not like you need a lot of energy to ride a carrousel, mom,” Charlotte replied, “I’m pretty sure you don’t need any energy at _all_. You just have to sit while it does all the work for you,”

“We’ve been walking nonstop for four days, princess,” Fallon murmured, “you somehow convince daddy to carry you when you get tired but I don’t even have that option,” she pouted.

“You walk in heels all day, every _single_ day,” Charlotte paused, “and you can’t handle four days on sneakers?” She frowned.

“Eh!” Olivia screamed out of sudden. “Ah!” She was in Fallon’s arms when she started jumping while pointing at the ride right above them. “Eh, eh!” She giggled.

“Which ride is this?” Charlotte asked confused. “The Magic Carpets of Aladdin,” she read on the map, “you don’t even like Aladdin, Ollie,”

“The color and the cars flying in circles are familiar to her because of that triceratop ride at Animal Kingdom, remember?” Liam explained, “she enjoyed riding it, so she probably sees this one as fun ride as well, even if she doesn’t like Aladdin,”

“Pirates of the Caribbean is right there,” Fallon pointed at the large black flag flying on the top of the building, “I can ride this one with Olivia while you two chase some pirates,”

“That sounds like a deal,” Charlotte exclaimed.

“This one is probably quick so I will wait for you at the exit of the Pirate’s attraction,” Fallon told them.

Liam reached for his backpack under the stroller and threw it over one of his shoulders before taking Charlotte’s hand in his. While Fallon gathered her handbag and parked the stroller right outside Aladdin’s attraction, the two headed down to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

Their extra-hours from the Disney Resort helped them get to the end of the line in about five minutes, even though they didn’t even have a fastpass. The park would only open for the public in twenty minutes so there were not many people wandering around at that time.

“Can we go in the first row?” Charlotte asked the lady dressed as a pirate.

“Of course,” she opened the gate and allowed Liam and Charlotte in.

“Oh my god,” the six years old stopped walking, causing her father to bump into her back, “it’s a boat! There’s water on the tracks, daddy!” She looked at him horrified.

“Charlotte, it’s the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh. “Pirates? The Caribbean? I’m pretty sure you can’t have either one of them without water,”

“Am I gonna get wet?”

“You might get a few sprinkles but no, you won’t get wet,” the lady informed her.

“Oh, thank god,”

Charlotte stepped into the boat and scooted towards the end so Liam and a random guest could occupy the other seats on that row. When the ride started, they entered a large and dark cave with blue lights to illuminate some of the pirate objects that were probably left behind by a ship. Charlotte was watching everything carefully, trying to figure out if someone was going to jump from behind a rock and scare them but what really frightened her for a moment were the thunders that started as they moved further into the cave.

“That ship is broken, dad!” Charlotte pointed towards the sunk ship on their right, “what if we sink too?”

“We’re not going to sink, Charlie,” Liam laughed, “but you can come closer to me if you want protection,”

“Well, just to be sure,” Charlotte scooted towards him and Liam threw his arm over her shoulders.

Then, all of sudden, every light went off and the cave got completely dark. Charlotte kept looking around, but she just couldn’t see anything, not even her father that was standing right next to her. She hugged him tightly, burying her face against his body as she expected the worse.

“I can’t see anything!” She screamed. “Are we going to-,” before Charlotte could finish her sentence, the boat fell on a drop. “Ahh!” She screamed, getting some sprinkles of water all over her face.

“You can open your eyes now, princess,” Liam informed her once he noticed an orange light coming from afar, that turned out to be from inside a huge pirate ship that was navigating on their left.

The next couple of minutes of the ride were smooth as the boat entered a small city of pirates, some of them fighting, some talking and some just walking around. Charlotte rested her head on Liam’s arm and watched the rest of the ride carefully.

“That was kind of dull,” Charlotte told Liam as they stepped out of the boat, “at first it was exciting but that city was kind of boring...”

“I agree,” Liam nodded. “I wonder if mommy and Olivia had fun at Aladdin,”

“I bet she had even more fun than we did,” Charlotte groaned, “Jack Sparrow, you disappointed me,” she spoke while looking around as if she were talking to the building.

When they exited the building, Fallon was already waiting for them like she had predicted. She was still holding Olivia in her arms but the seven months old now had a black hat on her head with Minnie ears on top of it. She wore a long-sleeved white onesie and red pants and Liam’s heart melted as soon as he laid his eyes on his tiny precious Minnie. He had been the one to choose that outfit, but the hat made her look even more adorable.

Fallon had pulled her hair up in a ponytail and braid but the Minnie ears headband she had gotten with Charlotte on their first day at Magic Kingdom had made its way back to her head.

“You’re matching!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“Oh my god, daddy is even more in love!” Liam took Olivia from Fallon’s arms and held her against his chest as he covered her face with kisses.

“Since you forgot your headband at the hotel, I got you this, princess,” Fallon handed Charlotte a small black hat with Mickey ears and _“Big Sister”_ written on its back.

“Aww, I love it!” Charlotte hugged her mother’s legs before thanking her with a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks, mom! We have matching hats now, Ollie!” She looked at her baby sister while gesturing between their hats. “You’re Minnie, like mom, and I’m Mickey!”

“Are you okay?” Fallon turned towards Liam when she noticed her husband was way too quiet.

“Please, tell me this is not a way of you telling me you’re pregnant,” Liam murmured as he stared deeply at Charlotte’s hat.

“You’re _pregnant_?!” Charlotte screamed in surprise. “ _Again?!_ ”

“No!” Fallon frowned. “Where did you get that from?” She asked confused.

“I don’t know,” Liam shrugged, “women are always trying to find the craziest ways to deliver this kind of news and I guess I just panicked when I saw the words on her head,”

“If I _were_ pregnant, I wouldn’t have written it only on _Charlotte’s_ hat, Liam,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh at the blank look he still had on his face. “I would have written it in Liv’s too because she would also be a big sister,”

“So you’re not pregnant?” Liam asked, just to be sure.

“No, Liam,” Fallon shook her head, “well, at least not that I’m aware of,”

“Fallon...”

“My period is still greeting me with its presence every month so I’m sure I’m not, babe, don’t worry,” Fallon ran a hand through his hair, “I know you don’t want more kids and I don’t either... I’m over the moon with our two girls. I just thought Charlotte would like it if she could match her sister today,”

“I do like it! It’s perfect right, Ollie?” Charlotte squeezed her cheeks softly.

“I am _not_ pregnant, relax,” Fallon whispered in his ear before giving him a quick peck on the lips.

“I am hungry,” the six years old stated.

“Hungry?” Liam suddenly forgot all about his panic but turned at Charlotte even more confused. “Charlotte Grace, you _just_ ate!”

“Don’t middle name me,” she complained. “I didn’t do anything wrong...”

“Are you seriously hungry, princess?” Fallon asked.

“Yes, can I have a popcorn?” She pointed at the red cart right next to the ice cream cart.

“It’s 9AM, Charlotte,” Liam mentioned, “we have fruit and cereal in backpack,”

“I can eat them too,”

“One, Charlotte,” Fallon reached for the backpack in Liam’s bag, settling it on the top of the stroller so she could reach for the small plastic bowls. “We have pecans with macadamias, cheerios, blueberries and grapes,”

“If I eat one fruit can I also eat the cheerios?” Charlotte questioned.

“Which fruit do you want?”

“Blueberries,”

“Here,” she handed her the small blue bowl, “if you’re still hungry by the time you finish them, you can get the cheerios,”

“Alright,” Charlotte smiled while Fallon put the backpack under the stroller. “Let’s keep walking. It’s Splash Mountain time and we didn’t get a fastpass, so we need to be fast!”

“How was the ride?” Fallon glanced between her daughter and husband as they started heading towards Frontierland.

“Boring,” Charlotte and Liam said at the same time.

“Well, so was the Aladdin one but our little one actually enjoyed it,” Fallon told them, “she was standing up on my legs and laughed the entire time,”

“At least someone had fun this morning,” Liam laughed.

* * *

Fallon was bouncing Olivia on her legs, singing her one of her favorite songs as the seven months old ate the few blueberries her sister had left in the bowl when Liam and Charlotte returned.

“Eh!” Olivia laughed at Fallon as she smashed another blueberry on her already blue face.

“They taste good, don’t they?” Fallon threw one blueberry inside her mouth.

“Mom! We need new clothes!” Charlotte screamed, running towards Fallon. They were both soaking wet and their clothes were glued to their bodies, their hair falling in front of their faces in a total mess.

“Let me take a photo of you two so I can save this moment forever,” Fallon laughed.

Liam pulled Charlotte up in his arms, placing a soft kiss on her cheek as Fallon captured a photo of them. For a second photo, they threw their arms up in the air to show how exciting the ride had been even though they were soaked.

“There are clothes inside the backpack, you can go change if you want,” Fallon suggested.

“I can’t go in the men’s restroom, mom,”

“He’s your dad, princess. I’m sure a lot of girls who don’t have mommies go to the restroom with their dads,” she explained.

“But I _have_ a mommy and I don’t want to go in the men’s room,” Charlotte complained.

“I’m busy with your sister right now, Charlotte. If you’re okay waiting a few minutes, I will take you to the restroom to change but if you want to change right now then you’ll have to go with daddy,” Fallon told her.

“Charlie, you can catch a cold if you stay this wet,” Liam spoke softly, “come with me, please,”

“But daddy...” Charlotte whined, “the men’s restroom is weird... you don’t even have doors,”

“There are a few stalls in there, princess,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh. “I want you in dry clothes, come on,” he placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered at Fallon before guiding their little girl to the restroom.

As they walked into one of the large stalls, Liam hung the backpack behind the door then helped Charlotte get rid of her wet clothes.

“Panties,” he handed her the white piece, “mom packed you a dress and a set of t-shirt and shorts, which one do you want?”

“Which dress did she get?”

“This one,” he pulled the small dress out of the backpack and showed it to her. Charlotte smiled and nodded in agreement at the dress with a black top with white polka dots and a white skirt.

While Charlotte dressed in the chosen outfit, Liam quickly removed his own clothes before dressing into dark blue jeans and a plain black t-shirt, one of Fallon’s favorite casual outfits for him as it enhanced the muscles in his arms, making them even more perfect.

“Look what I brought,” Liam teased his daughter before revealing the Donald Duck hat.

“Your hat!” Charlotte jumped in excitement. “You’re going to look very pretty now,”

“Are you saying I was _ugly_ before?”

“No, daddy, but you’re gonna look even _prettier_ with your hat,” Charlotte rephrased. “Can you brush my hair? I can’t take this bow off,” she groaned while trying to pull the blue fabric off her hair.

“Careful, Charlie,” Liam stepped closer to her and removed her hand from the bow before carefully taking it off her head.

Sitting down on the closed seat, he pulled Charlotte up on his legs so he could brush her hair. He ran the brush gently through her brown strands as she sang one of her favorites songs from Frozen.

“Do you want the bow back?” Liam asked.

“No, I wanna wear the hat mom bought me,” Charlotte told him, “can you make pigtails?”

“Of course,”

“Not too high because of the hat,” Liam used the hair ties that were keeping the hair bun up on her head then ran his fingers softly down her two pigtails.

“You’re ready, princess,” he informed as he set her back on her feet.

“Now we just need to brush _your_ hair,” Charlotte reached for the small pink brush in his hands and ran it through his short hair, “shake it a little bit,” she suggested, shaking her small body in a funny way as he shook his head, “perfect!”

Stepping out of the stall, Liam lifted Charlotte off her feet so she could wash her hands then washed his own while she got them paper towels.

“See? The men’s room wasn’t that bad, right?” Liam asked as they headed out.

“It was okay,” she shrugged.

“Where would you like to go now? The park is starting to get crowded so we might need fastpasses from now on...” Liam told her.

“Can we go to the Haunted Mansion?” Charlotte looked up at him. “Mom, can you go to the Haunted Mansion with me?” She asked as soon as they approached Fallon.

“Me? Why?” Fallon seemed surprised. “Is your dad scared?” She teased.

“No, but I wanna go with you!” Charlotte insisted. “Please, please, please,”

“How many bottles did we bring, babe?” Fallon turned towards her husband.

“You didn’t pump last night so we only had two left,” Liam replied, “Olivia accepted the bottle gladly yesterday afternoon, Fal, I’m sure she won’t mind taking it again this morning,”

“She ate the blueberries _and_ the grapes so she might not ask for milk anytime soon,” Fallon told him, “if you can keep her entertained until I get back, I will nurse her... I actually prefer to have her on me instead of giving her the bottle,”

“I know you do, babe,” Liam kissed the top of her head. “I will take her for a short walk, maybe even search for a character to entertain her, but don’t worry, okay?” He ran his thumb softly over her cheek. “If she does get hungry before you two get back, I will just give her the bottle,”

“Come on, mom,” Charlotte called her, “the line is already half an hour long,”

“Mommy will be right back, pumpkin,” Fallon spoke softly as she settled Olivia against Liam’s chest, “can you wait for mommy?” Leaning forward, she placed a long kiss on her daughter’s forehead.

“Go have fun with Charlie, Fal,” Liam told her, “Olivia and I will be just fine,”

It took the girls over an hour to get out of the Haunted Mansion due to the long wait time that was only increasing as more and more guests started to arrive at the most famous park. Olivia was quiet the whole time, paying careful attention to everything that was happening around them while she snuggled against her father’s chest.

The Liberty Square Riverboat attraction was right next to the Haunted Mansion and although they had no plans on riding that boat, Liam decided to take a walk by the river, hoping it would distract her. He had settled his baby girl in the carrier, so his hands were free to push her stroller.

Her eyes were fixated on the boat the entire time but he could tell it wasn’t one of the most exciting sights Olivia had seen at the parks because she wasn’t bouncing, kicking her legs or even laughing. Instead, she took her hand to her mouth, closed in a fist as she sucked on its soft skin as she stared at the guests waving at the people standing on the land.

“Are you tired, pumpkin?” Liam caressed her arms. “You’re so quiet... is your tooth bothering you again, Liv?” He asked softly as she continued to suck on her hand. “Is this walk boring? Do you wanna stop and just rest?” He wasn’t really sure she knew what that meant but when she leaned backwards, resting her head on his chest, he decided maybe that was a yes to his question.

Walking back towards the Haunted Mansion, Liam noticed a set that he hadn’t seen earlier. As he approached the Rapunzel Tower, he noticed some families sitting on the ground by the grid. Some of them were resting while some of them were probably just making a quick pause for relaxing and snacks and Liam decided to join them. Pushing on the stroller’s breaks with his foot, he parked it out of the way and sat down on the ground before placing Olivia on his legs, her head against his stomach while her chubby legs rested on his thighs.

“You are the love of my life, you know that?” Liam bend over slightly so his face was right above hers and giggled at her, eliciting a soft laugh for her as she opened her mouth widely for him. “You and Charlie are my angels...” He tickled her belly and she started kicking her legs in amusement.

“Have I ever told you that daddy didn’t really want kids?” Liam started. “Back when mommy and I started dating, we had a huge argument about it because your mommy wanted kids and I didn’t... it wasn’t pretty, pumpkin,” he shook his head as the baby girl stared at him, focused on her eyes as she sucked on the Donald Duck hat that had fallen off his head, “but then we found out about Charlie and everything changed but now that I have you two it’s so much better, Liv,” he said softly.

“I really can’t imagine a world without you two in it. Mommy and I joke about not having much time for ourselves and that we’ve reached the point where we fly less to Paris and drive more to Orlando but none of us would ever trade you two for anything in this world,”

“Ehh!” Olivia shook the hat in front of him.

“I haven’t told anyone this so you gotta keep this secret, okay?” Liam teased her, “but I do get jealous that mommy and Charlie have a special bond... it’s clear that your sister is your mom’s replica but they have something that I’ve never had with Charlotte,” he explained.

“She will always be mommy’s girl but then you came to this family and you wrapped me around your tiny finger as soon as you laid your eyes on me... and while your sister slept with mommy on the hospital bed, I stayed with you all night, lying on that horrible couch with you on my bare chest and no one could understand how you managed to sleep for almost three hours when newborns usually cry every hour for milk,” he moved his hand towards her belly and started tickling her again, “and that’s when I knew that I had just gotten my own partner in crime,” he turned her around and pulled his knees up, placing his feet on the ground for support as he blew kisses on her stomach.

“Ah! Ah!” Olivia started squirming, her laugh loud enough to make some guests stare at them but he couldn’t care less.

“Yes, you are,” Liam giggled, “you’re _daddy’s_ girl, aren’t you?” He rubbed his nose against hers and she screamed right at his face, her eyes shining in excitement as her father teased her.

“Ehh,” Olivia placed her small palms on his cheeks before offering him her most adorable smile.

“I love you too, pumpkin,” Liam kissed her forehead, “daddy loves you to the moon and back,”

* * *

The beginning of their afternoon was spent at the Pinocchio restaurant at Fantasyland. They had decided to stop for lunch right after Fallon was done nursing and Olivia was sound asleep in the stroller but the exhaustion from that week was starting to hit them all. They usually ate in about an hour, maybe even one hour and a half but it had been almost a couple of hours and Charlotte was still not done with her French fries.

“Overall, did you enjoy our family trip, princess?” Liam asked while taking the last sip of his beverage.

“It was amazing, daddy! I will _never_ forget it,” Charlotte exclaimed. “Thank you for bringing me to Disney!”

“You’re welcome, baby,” Fallon spoke softly while playing with one of her daughter’s pigtails. “We all had a great time but you’re the most important one,”

“It was the best trip of my life!” She smiled at them.

When Olivia started waking up, Liam checked the time on his phone and realized they should start heading towards Main Street so they could get a good spot to watch the Festival of Fantasy Parade. As soon as Charlotte finished her meal, they gathered their stuff and went straight to the Cinderella castle as it was the shortest way to the Central Plaza.

“Before we find a place to sit,” Liam started, turning towards them, “I would like a photo of my three girls,”

Fallon was already holding Olivia in her arms so she started posing first while Charlotte checked her face and hair on the camera of Liam’s phone. Holding her baby girl in front of her, Fallon started to giggle at her daughter to get her attention while Liam captured the photo of them right in front of the castle.

They had already taken family photos there so Liam’s focus was pretty much on taking as many pictures as he could from his girls. When Charlotte finally joined them, Fallon crouched down on the ground and wrapped one arm around her eldest while holding Olivia against her thigh with the other. Liam took dozens of photos of them, but his favorite remained the one of Fallon holding Olivia up in the air. There was something incredibly special about that shot - both wearing Minnie ears, Fallon giggling at their baby girl while Olivia replied with a soft laugh, and the beautiful Cinderella castle in the background.

As Fallon settled Olivia back in the stroller, Liam noticed Charlotte staring at the castle. They even tried called her name but she didn’t even listen, so Liam positioned himself a few feet behind her and started taking pictures without the six years old even noticing it.

“Charlotte, check this out,” Liam offered her the camera and she leaned forward to see the photo, “tell me if you like it,”

“Oh my god, daddy! I think that’s my favorite photo ever!” Charlotte looked up at him and for a moment he thought she was going to cry. “I look _very_ pretty, my hat is _perfect_ and the castle is so _beautiful_ in the background!”

“It really is a perfect shot, princess,” Liam smiled.

“Can I frame it and put it in my room?” She asked.

“You can, yeah,” he nodded, “but this one is definitely going in the living room,”

“The living room is for highly special photos only, dad,” Charlotte told him, “it has you and mommy at the masquerade ball, you and mommy in London, you and mommy dancing at your wedding, mommy and me right after I was born, mommy, me and you on my first birthday, you holding Olivia when she was born...”

“And many others that are just as important as this trip has been to all of us,” Liam said softly, “we are choosing one our entire family for the living room but we’re going to frame this one as well,”

“Can I post it?” Charlotte asked Fallon. “On my Instagram?”

“We can do it tonight, okay?” The older brunette suggested.

“Okay,” she nodded.

The parade was about twenty minutes long and both the girls had an amazing time watching the characters walk right in front of them, dancing, singing and waving at them. Olivia had even recognized some of the characters and she would bounce in her mother’s arms every time one of them really caught her attention.

Liam was recording it on his phone per Charlotte’s request and the two girls started laughing really hard when one of the Seven Dwarfs approached them and teased Charlotte by tickling her belly.

“Is it over already?” Charlotte groaned when the last car drove past them. “It was so short!”

“The characters have to go back to their homes now, princess,” Liam told them, “they get together once a day to perform for all of the guests, but they can’t stay here for too long,”

“There were so many characters!” She exclaimed. “It must be really hard to meet every single one of them,”

“You have your whole life to meet them, princess,” Fallon told her, “but did you meet your favorite ones this time?”

“I did!” Charlotte nodded. “We got to see every character I love, we took Ollie to see Mike and daddy even met Chewie and Darth Vader! Can you believe that I met my favorite character in the same week daddy met his?” She spoke excitedly. “How did we get so lucky to see Olaf and Darth Vader at the park yesterday? Although it’s a shame Audrey Hepburn wasn’t in any Disney movie so you could meet your favorite character too,”

“Watching you meet your favorite characters was enough for me, princess,” Fallon smiled. “The look on your face when you saw Olaf was priceless and everything I’ve ever needed,” she told her daughter, “not to mention the tears in your dad’s eyes after meeting Chewie,” she laughed.

“No wonder this is the happiest place on Earth!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Where all our dreams come true,” she added.

“Then our mission is complete,” Fallon looked between Liam and Charlotte. “Was this week everything you wished for?”

“Yes!” She jumped up and down a couple of times. “Yes, it was, mom!”

“We agreed on Peter Pan’s Flight and the Carrousel but then we’re heading back to the hotel, okay?” Liam turned towards Charlotte. “We have an inexplicable number of things to pack and we can’t leave anything behind,”

“Are we really driving back home?” Charlotte groaned. “Can’t the jet come pick us up?”

“We drove all the way here so we’re driving back home, Charlotte,” Fallon informed her.

“But it’s such a long drive...”

“You have lots of toys to play with, we can download some movies and you can even look through all the photos if you want,” Fallon suggested, “maybe you can even start organizing them in separate folders and selecting the ones you like the most,”

“Do we really have to go by car?” She asked again.

“Yes, Charlotte,” Liam replied. “Would you like to guide us back to the Peter Pan ride? Perhaps you can use your map for the last time this week?” He suggested.

“I don’t want to go home...” Charlotte murmured.

“Don’t be sad, princess,” Fallon touched her cheek gently, “you had an amazing week and we can always come back, okay?” The six years old nodded with tears in her eyes. “We’re only a few hours away and while your dream is to come here, we will come as many times as you want. All you have to do is be a good girl and wish very hard,” she explained. “Your dream came true this week... maybe it will come true again real soon,” she offered her a smile before leaning in to place a kiss on her forehead.

* * *

Charlotte was lying on her stomach while checking some of the photos in her iPad when she heard someone knocking on the door. It was early and even Olivia was still asleep but the six years old had woken up almost one hour back. The large hotel room was dark and silent when she jumped out of the bed and stepped out of her bedroom, getting Liam’s wallet from his backpack on the way to the door.

“Room service,” the man informed as soon as Charlotte opened the door.

“You can leave it by the table,” Charlotte told him as she watched him drive the food cart into the room, “thank you, Sir,” she reached for a hundred dollar bill and handed it to him.

“Enjoy your breakfast, little one,” he offered her a smile before exiting the room.

“Charlotte Ridley, sometimes you’re just too smart,” she rambled as she pulled the metal dome off one of the plates, “room service for three, _just for me_!” She exclaimed when the smell of fresh pancakes filled the room, “ooh bacon!” She giggled after looking under another dome.

Stealing one Mickey pancake from the plate, she took a generous bite before running towards her parents’ bedroom. Her free hand grabbed the knob but when the door didn’t open like she expected it would, her forehead hit the wooden door with a loud thud and she dropped her pancake on the carpet as she ran into the locked door.

“Ouch!” Charlotte winced, rubbing soft circles over her forehead.

“What the hell was that?” Liam woke up immediately and jumped on the bed when he heard the noise.

“Why doesn’t it open?” They heard Charlotte’s soft voice on the other side of the door as they noticed the knob moving up and down. “Uhhh,” she set her feet on the door and tried to pull on the knob as hard as she could.

“Morning,” Fallon whispered, running her hand through his hair before pulling him in for a kiss.

Liam deepened the kiss as soon as his lips found Fallon’s, tangling his tongue around hers as his hands roamed all over her naked body. Charlotte was still trying to figure out a way to open the door but for a couple of minutes, they pretended they were the only ones there.

“Last night was _amazing_...” Liam murmured against her lips.

“It was,” Fallon moaned when he bit on her bottom lip, “it could still be though if Miss Ridley managed to sleep in once in a while,” she laughed.

“I’m sure she can wait a few more minutes,” Liam kissed her passionately, pulling on her hair as her fingers massaged his scalp while lost in the short light strands of his hair.

“Are you guys awake?” Charlotte knocked on the door. “Do I need to get security to free you?”

“We’re awake, princess,” Liam informed her, “I will fix that, okay? Let me just wake mommy up properly so she doesn’t get grumpy,”

“Why is it taking you so long?” Charlotte whined. “I’m hungry, I’m gonna have breakfast,”

“What?” Liam broke the kiss and let go of Fallon right away at their daughter’s words. As delicious as it was to be completely lost in his wife’s lips, he had no doubt his crazy daughter could go down to the restaurant all by herself just to get food.

“Let me know if you need any help!” Charlotte exclaimed before walking away from the door.

Liam jumped out of the bed, landing on all fours when his foot got tangled in one of the sheets and he fell forward.

“Liam!” Fallon crawled on the large bed to check on him.

“I’m fine,” Liam replied, standing up in a matter of seconds while he scanned the room for his clothes. Their entire luggage was already sitting by the door so they only had the clothes they were wearing the night before inside the room but for some reason, he couldn’t find anything.

“Charlotte Grace Ridley!” Liam screamed.

“Don’t scream,” Fallon groaned, pulling the sheets over her body as she sat up.

“Are you really not worried that she’s going to have breakfast?” Liam looked at her in total panic. He had absolutely no clue to where his boxers were, but he found his dark gray sweatpants and decided that would have to do.

“Liam, that girl is a princess,” Fallon yawned, “she probably just ordered something and it’s waiting in one of her bathrobes for the food to arrive,”

“Put this on,” Liam threw his black t-shirt at her.

Fallon turned around, her legs hanging off the bed as she dressed in Liam’s shirt. Bending over, she reached for the lacy panties that had been discarded on the floor the night before and put them back on.

“That should do, come on,” Liam walked towards the door and easily turned the lock the other way around before finally opening the large wooden doors.

“Told you,” Fallon pointed towards the table.

Charlotte was kneeling on one of the chairs while the huge 3 feet tall Stitch sat across from her. There was a food cart by the table and she had already removed every dome off the plates. They could see pancakes, waffles, bacon, scrambled eggs and even a couple of bowls of fruit salad and cereal. There was also a bottle of chocolate milk, coffee and orange juice.

“Good morning,” Charlotte greeted them with a smile, “latte?” She offered them her white mug.

“I don’t even know if I’m relieved that she didn’t leave the room or if I’m surprised that she ordered all this food,” Liam ran a hand through his hair.

“What happened to your clothes?” Charlotte asked when she noticed her father was bare chested and her mother wasn’t wearing any pants. “Is that daddy’s shirt you’re wearing?” She stared at her mom confused.

“We,” Liam murmured.

“We got hot, baby,” Fallon spoke as she headed towards the table, “when did you order this?” She reached for one strip of bacon and let out a moan when she took the first bite.

“When I woke up, an hour ago...” she shrugged.

“I’m gonna get your sister, don’t eat all of the bacon without me!” Fallon threw her a playful glare and Charlotte just giggled.

“Is Stitch done with his breakfast, Miss Ridley?” Liam asked. “I would like a place to seat so I can enjoy this delicious breakfast too,”

“Yeah, I think he’s done, daddy,” Charlotte nodded, “this latte is _so_ good,” she threw her head back while the mug rested on her lips so she could get every last drop of her hot drink.

“That’s enough caffeine for you, princess,” Liam mentioned when he noticed her reaching for the coffee. “We have a seven hours drive ahead of us and I don’t want you jumping up and down on your seat all the way back to Atlanta,” he told her, “stick to the chocolate milk or the orange juice,”

“You should call the front desk and ask them to send a bell boy in a couple of hours to help us take all those things to the car,” Fallon gestured towards the luggage by the door while stepping out of the bedroom with Olivia in her arms.

They had arrived at Disney World with about six suitcases – one for each girl and two for each adult – besides the baby bag, the stroller and every other baby item that occupied half of their trunk on the drive from Atlanta. At that moment, however, they were looking at approximately eleven suitcases, the baby stuff, two balloons and Olivia’s green dinosaur that didn’t fit in any of the suitcases, not to mention the Stitch currently sitting on the floor next to Liam.

“No, no bell boy,” Liam shook his head while taking a sip of his coffee, “Miss Charlie here decided to buy everything from every single shop she could find so she will be the one carrying those bags to the car,”

“ _Me?_ ” Charlotte’s eyes widened.

“Exactly,” Liam nodded. “I will go with you and we can make as many trips as you need, but you’ll be the one taking them to the car, princess,” he stated.

“Oh boy,” Charlotte sighed, staring at all the stuff sitting by the door. She couldn’t even tell where they started or ended, all she knew was that she was probably going to spend a couple of hours taking them to the car.

* * *

Taking all their luggage to the car turned out to be a lot more challenging and exhausting than Charlotte initially thought it would be. Fallon had already showered and gotten ready and was just finishing dressing Olivia in clean pajamas for the road when Charlotte and Liam arrived to get the final two suitcases.

“Babe, could you check the bedrooms and the bathroom?” Fallon requested. “Liv is almost ready so we can all go down together,”

“Of course,” Liam nodded.

Liam had already put the stroller in the trunk, so they only had to carry the suitcases, Olivia’s baby bag, the balloons and the huge Stitch to the car. Once Olivia was ready and Liam was sure they weren’t leaving anything behind, Fallon put the baby bag on her shoulder while settling her baby girl against her body. Liam reached for the two suitcases and the balloons and Charlotte wrapped her arms around her stuffed animal.

“I can’t believe we’re leaving...” Charlotte whispered as Liam closed the door behind them.

“We will be back, princess,” Liam offered her a smile.

The walk to the parking lot was short and quite entertaining for the two adults who couldn’t stop laughing at how funny Charlotte was walking as she tried to carry the heavy Stitch. She groaned every time she hit something because she couldn’t see properly with the large blue head in front of her.

“Can we come back next weekend?” Charlotte asked.

“You have school next week and tennis practice on Saturday,” Liam replied, “you’ve already missed this weekend’s practice,”

“What about the weekend after that?” She insisted.

“Charlotte, we just spent a week here...” Fallon spoke softly. “Mommy and daddy need to go back to work for a few months before we can go on another vacation,”

“Besides, you’re gonna have a lot of dishes to wash so you can save more money for your next trip,” Liam told her. “You spent quite a lot this week,”

“Yeah, that’s true,” Charlotte sighed, “but if we take the jet, we will get here in an hour so we can come for brunch with the characters on Sundays!”

“Charlotte, the jet is not a toy that you can take whenever you want,” Liam murmured, while opening the door to the backseat and set the two suitcases on the floor behind the driver’s seat. “It’s very expensive, you know? You need a pilot, a co-pilot and lots of fuel and they are _not_ cheap,”

“But we are _rich_ ,”

“We _won’t_ be rich anymore if you start spending all our money on jet fuel just to have brunch in Orlando,” Liam rolled his eyes, “I know you’re upset about going back home but Disney will always be here, alright?” He offered her a smile. “You’re very smart for your age so I’m sure you understand why we can’t come every weekend. We have a routine back in Atlanta, with mommy and daddy’s work, you have homework, tennis practice, piano lessons and a bunch of other things,”

“Can we come back for my seventh birthday?” Charlotte suggested.

“That’s still eight months away but we can talk about it, okay?” Charlotte nodded with a smile.

Taking the Gucci diaper bag from his wife’s shoulder, Liam placed it on top of the suitcase that was already occupying the middle seat as Fallon settled Olivia in the car seat. When their baby girl was all set, Fallon placed the green dinosaur on top of her since it would fit anywhere else but the seven months old actually enjoyed having it there, wrapping her arms tightly around her stuffed animal while laughing at her mother.

“Can you hold this one, please?” Liam handed Fallon the pink balloon. He wrapped the string of the red balloon around the headrest until there was almost no string left and the balloon was flying right above Olivia, making sure it was low enough not to block his view on the back glass.

“Mommy!” Charlotte screamed when they closed Olivia’s door when she walked around the car. Liam opened the front door and climbed on the driver’s seat while Fallon helped Charlotte get on her booster seat. “Where is Stitch going to sit?” She asked horrified when she couldn’t find a place for her stuffed animal. “He’s too big to fit on the floor!”

“There,” Fallon placed the 3 feet stuffed animal on Charlotte’s legs after she buckled her seatbelt. He was facing the six years old, his head resting on the back of Fallon’s headrest so he was almost in a lying position.

“ _On_ me?” Charlotte groaned in disapproval.

“Leave him like this so he doesn’t block daddy’s view, princess,” Fallon told her, “here’s your balloon,” she offered her the white shiny string.

“How am I supposed to hold that too?”

“Like this,” Fallon wrapped the string around the seatbelt on Charlotte’s chest before closing the backseat door and heading for her own seat.

Once Fallon was sitting down on the passenger’s seat, Liam helped her get his backpack between her legs along with the small paper bag of food they had gotten for the long ride.

“I can’t see anything!” Charlotte exclaimed while Fallon settled her handbag on her legs and Liam started the car. Not only was the Stitch on her legs but the balloon was flying between her face and the blue monster’s.

“Whose idea it was to get an animal almost your size?” Liam reminded her for the tenth time that day.

“I wouldn’t be in this situation had we taken the jet!” Charlotte groaned. “He would have his own seat and I would be able to move my arms and legs,”

“We knew we would drive back home and you _still_ chose to buy that thing, Charlotte,” Fallon told her.

“I feel my legs sweating already,” Charlotte complained, “he’s too heavy! I can’t even reach my iPad,” she tried to lean forward to reach for the small Olaf shaped backpack on her feet, but she was barely able to move an inch with the balloon and stuffed animal over her. “Ugh, what am I supposed to do for seven hours now?” She threw her head back while sighing dramatically.

“What are _we_ supposed to do for seven hours with that chit chatty?” Liam turned towards Fallon, who could only shrug and laugh at her daughter’s current drama. “Oh, this is going to be a fun ride,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It probably took you hours to get this far but I hope you enjoyed this special chapter! 
> 
> Disney World is definitely the most magical place I've ever been and I hope that you've all had a great time reading it! Although some of you have already been to Disney and some of you haven't, I really hope everyone had a lot of fun joining the Ridley's in this amazing family trip they prepared for Charlotte.
> 
> Don't forget to leave us a comment letting us know your thoughts about it!!! :)


	12. Turning One

“Liam, hi!” Alexis exclaimed, pulling her son-in-law in for an awkward hug.

“Alexis, how are you doing?” Liam offered the couple he was talking to a shy smile, telling them to enjoy the party before turning his attention towards the blonde woman.

“I’m great. Oh this house looks so cute!” Alexis looked around, taking in the winter themed decoration.

The house was filled with balloons from all sizes and shapes, some of them had been filled with helium gas and were hanging from the ceiling, some were wrapped around the furniture with thin strings and the largest and thickest ones were on the floor along with the stuffed animals. There were polar bears, artic foxes, snow seals and penguins all over the house, all matching the white and silver winter decoration.

The dining table was covered with a beautiful white linen cloth and had a large polar bear sitting down on each size, right next to a couple of cupcake towers. Every cupcake with a different tiny animal on the top of its icing. There were also chocolate truffles and penguin shaped cookies all over the table, leading to the white three tier cake right in the middle.

As huge as the cake was, its decoration was simple; there were silver snowflakes all over its sides and on top of it, there was a cake topper with all of the four animals from the party’s theme. The polar bear was lying on its belly, his paws sprawled all over the cake’s surface while the penguin stood on his back, balancing himself on one leg only and his arms up in the air. Next to them, the snow seal was lying with her tongue out and the artic fox was sitting down, leaning her head to the side with pleading eyes. In the middle of the four animals, there was a tall and glittery silver number one.

“Fallon decorated it all by herself,” Liam told her, “believe it or not,” he giggled.

“It’s beautiful! It looks like a winter wonderland in here,” she commented.

“I managed to convince her not to get a snow machine but I had to agree on everything else,” Liam rolled his eyes, “but this house does look amazing so I guess it’s all worth it,” he smiled.

“Okay, I was just informed there’s a change of outfit planned for Charlotte in the middle of the party,” Sam approached them with a glass of champagne in his hand. “Dude, if you keep up with this kind of party every year, you will be in serious trouble when her Sweet 16 comes around,” he teased Liam.

“A Sweet 16 means short dresses, possibly hidden alcohol and boys,” Liam murmured, “so I’m just gonna focus on this one happening right now,” he paused, “oh my god, boys,” he ran his hand through his hair.

“Should we be worried that he’s freaking out more about boys than the hidden alcohol?” Sam whispered, leaning towards Alexis.

“A second outfit?” Alexis’ eyes sparkled in excitement, trying to change the subject. “Fallon really did it all, didn’t she?”

“Yeah,” Liam laughed, “Charlotte’s wearing this white couture dress that I’m _pretty_ sure it’s a flower girl dress but Fallon refuses to tell me if she got it at a bridal boutique,”

“That _does_ sound like Fallon,” Sam commented.

“It does, yeah,” Alexis added with a nod.

“She’s supposed to look like a snow princess of sorts for now,” Liam explained, “but that doesn’t look comfortable at all so we’re changing her into a polar bear costume after we’ve taken all the photos, the cake is served and you know, her carriage turns back into a pumpkin,”

“A polar bear costume?!” Sam and Alexis exclaimed at the same time.

“Believe me, most adorable baby ever,” Liam spoke proudly.

* * *

“There you two are!” Alexis opened her arms widely, greeting Fallon and Charlotte with a warm hug.

Fallon wore a silver dress, her hair waved and falling down her shoulder with a few strands pulled back and black Jimmy Choos stilettos. Charlotte wore the white dress Liam had mentioned, with puffy short sleeves and an embroidered collar, a rhinestone silver belt and a large satin bow on her back and silver glitter shoes. Her brown hair was up in two short pigtails, each one with a snowflake in front of the thin scrunchie.

“You _do_ look like a snow princess!” Alexis offered her granddaughter a smile. “Happy birthday, Charlotte,” she leaned forward, placing a kiss on the little girl’s forehead.

“Thanks for coming, mom,” Fallon adjusted the one year old properly on the side of her body. It hadn’t even been one hour since the birthday party started and Fallon’s arm was already numb from carrying Charlotte back and forth.

“Want me to get her?” Alexis offered, noticing Fallon’s discomfort.

“She’s clinging to Fallon for some reason all day,” Liam approached them, settling one hand on Fallon’s lower back. “Let me try again,” he suggested.

Extending his arms towards their daughter, Liam tried to reach for Charlotte but his actions only got her to snuggle even closer to Fallon, wrapping her arms around her mother’s neck and burying her head on her collarbone.

“It’s okay, babe,” Fallon adjusted her forearm under Charlotte’s body before wrapping her small legs better around her waist.

“Is everything okay?” Alexis asked concerned.

“I think the only Ridley gene she might have is starting to show and she’s not really enjoying a huge party with so many guests,” Liam shrugged.

“Mama,” Charlotte spoke softly, gripping on the neckline of Fallon’s dress in an attempt of getting to her breasts. Lifting her chin, she looked up at her mother with her pleading blue eyes. “Mama,” she insisted.

“You’re still nursing?” Alexis sounded suprised.

“Yeah,” Fallon nodded, “I still have milk and the pediatrician said that the nutrients from breast milk are better than any other so I nurse her once or twice a day...” she explained. “She usually asks for it at night but I’m not even surprised since she’s acting extra clingy today,” she admitted, “I will go upstairs real quick but I’m sure you two can entertain the guests, right?” She looked between Liam and Alexis who could only nod in response.

* * *

“Is that what you wanted, princess?” Fallon ran her hand softly through her daughter’s face.

Charlotte raised one of her hands and reached for a strand of Fallon’s hair. She wrapped her fingers tightly around it, pulling on it a little harder than Fallon would like but at the moment, she didn’t really mind.

Rocking the armchair with her back and holding the one year old against her chest, Fallon started singing one of her favorite lullabies, her voice low and soft, perfect to the little girl’s ear as she sucked hungrily on her mother’s nipple. Charlotte’s bright blue eyes were wide open, staring at Fallon in complete awe and adoration while her tiny hand moved from her hair to her collarbone, tracing her fingers gently through her mother’s skin.

“Can I come in?” Fallon turned her head towards the door as soon as she heard the familiar voice.

“Oh my god, you came!” Her eyes sparkled when she saw her best friend standing there. “Of course, come in,”

“I would never miss her first birthday,” Monica smiled as she approached them. “Everything looks so beautiful, Fallon,”

“Except for the fact that the birthday girl is not in the mood for partying today,” Fallon shrugged.

“Why not?”

“I don’t know... she woke up in the middle of the night crying and didn’t go back to sleep until we took her to our bed and she was lying between me and Liam,” Fallon told her, “then she cries whenever I put her down or someone takes her...”

“Maybe she just wants her mama, Fallon,” Monica caressed the one year’s old back.

“I know she’s only one but I want her to enjoy it,” Fallon admitted. “Liam suggested a small and intimate party but I insisted on going big and now she’s not even happy about it,”

“I’m sure she will come around once she’s had her milk,” Monica replied.

“I hope so,” Fallon sighed. “I’m so glad you’re here, Mon,”

* * *

“You want the penguin?” Alexis waved the stuffed animal and Charlotte’s laugh echoed around the room.

They had removed the coffee table from the living room temporarily so there was a large space between the couches. Once Fallon returned with Charlotte, she put her on the rug for a moment and when she finally laid her eyes on all the balloons and stuffed animals across the room, she barely even noticed her mother had let her go.

“Mine,” Charlotte extended her arms towards Alexis but didn’t move an inch from her spot.

Liam was sitting on the opposite end of the couch, staring at Charlotte as she held a silver balloon and one of the polar bears on her legs while her attention remained on the penguin Alexis was showing her.

“You’re gonna have to come and get it, princess,” Alexis encouraged her.

Charlotte had already given her first steps a couple of weeks back but unless her parents insisted that she moved from one place to another on her feet, she would rather just crawl since she knew she could get where she wanted faster.

“Interesting how such a tiny person is the reason why you’re drinking _apple juice_ at a party,” Blake stood behind Fallon, gesturing to her glass as he took a sip of his whiskey.

Sam and Fallon were standing a few feet from the sitting area, watching as Alexis tried her best to entertain the one year old.

“A few more months and it’ll be two years since I last drank alcohol,” Fallon told him.

“I guess it’s safe to assume we’ve all survived that phase really well,” Sam mentioned, “it’s a great thing she melted your cold and sassy heart because I’m sure we would have actual scares from a sober Fallon by now,”

“I knew _Fallon_ would be great,” Blake offered her daughter a smile, “but that scene right there is surprising and shocking me in every single way possible,” he pointed towards Alexis, “the only time she held a toy out for you was when you crawled under the bar cart and got her most expensive bottle of vodka. She tried to get it from you but you didn’t even budge so she got every single toy she could find in the living room and tried to trade the bottle for one of them,” Blake told them.

“Even as a child you were already going for the vodka?” Sam asked Fallon, who just shrugged, not having any memory from that day.

“Fallon was always the most curious one,” Blake continued, “if we didn’t keep her inside the playpen she would just walk around the entire Manor, opening closets, drawers and getting everything she thought would make an interesting toy,” he laughed.

“Did she at least give the bottle to Alexis?” Sam was definitely intrigued by the story.

“She _did_ when Alexis got her purse and handed Fallon her wallet,” Blake rolled his eyes.

“Oh my god, how old was I?” Fallon questioned in shock.

“Three,” Blake replied, “somehow you went straight for the hundred bills and left all the smaller ones inside,”

“You recognized Benjamin Franklin at the age of three... impressive,” Sam took another sip of his champagne, “and Blake? Feel free to brighten my day with more stories of Fallon like that one whenever you want,”

“He probably doesn’t have many, Sam, so try not to get too excited,” Fallon’s voice broke before heading towards the other part of her family.

“Come on, princess, you gotta walk here to get the penguin,” Liam clapped his hands to get her attention. Charlotte let go of the balloon and put both hands down on the rug so she could crawl towards them.

“Standing up, baby!” Charlotte turned her head towards her mother’s voice and Fallon offered her an encouraging nod. “You can do it, princess! Just like you do for mommy and daddy, remember?” Fallon continued, sitting down on the couch opposite from Liam and Alexis. “Show grandma that you can walk by yourself, come on,” she insisted, smiling at the one year old staring at her, “she will give you that cute penguin when you get there,”

“Come, Charlotte!” Alexis extended one hand towards her while the other continued to show her the penguin.

“You can do it, baby,” Liam spoke just in time for Charlotte to push herself up with her hands. “That’s it, princess, now come to us!”

The one year old smiled at her father before taking one step forward. Carefully and on wobbly legs, she took a few more steps, laughing loudly as she headed towards Alexis’ open arms. She was just about to fall when Alexis leaned forward and caught her, wrapping her arms around her small frame.

“You’re growing up so fast!” Alexis sat her down on her legs and hugged her tightly while giving her the stuffed penguin. “I went to Europe for three weeks and you’re already this big!”

“See? I knew you could do it, princess,” Liam tickled her legs as Alexis rested her cheek over Charlotte’s head.

“Liam,” Fallon called out but he was too busy with their daughter to even listen. “Liam!” She spoke a little louder.

“What?” He turned towards her but Fallon didn’t say anything, just lifted her chin and looked at the door leading to the entrance hall. “Mom?!” Liam’s eyes widened in both shock and surprise when he noticed Laura was standing right there. “Stay with her,” he glanced at Alexis and whispered as low as he could. “What are you doing here?” He asked while standing up from the couch.

“I’m here to meet my granddaughter, that’s why,” Laura rolled her eyes.

“ _Meet_ her?” Blake frowned. “I believe you’re a _year_ late for that?” He questioned.

“I’m surprised you know when her birthday is considering you didn’t even bother to call when she was born,” it was Fallon’s turn to stand up and face her devious mother-in-law.

“Liam did leave me a message though,” Laura replied, “which means I know December 13th is her birthday,”

“A message you never even _replied_ to,” Liam was furious, “so don’t expect us to welcome you with open hearts when it’s been a freaking year and you haven’t even congratulated me or Fallon on becoming parents!" He raged.

“I’m here now,” Laura shrugged.

“You’re not going to destroy my daughter’s first birthday,” Liam spoke as he approached her, “which means you and I are going to have a little talk upstairs and then you can find your way back to the Big Apple, alright?” Placing one hand on her shoulder, he turned her body around before guiding her towards the stairs.

“What’s going on?” Blake asked Fallon.

“Liam called her when Charlotte was born but she never answered it so he left her a message...” Fallon started, looking between each member of her family. “Like he said, she never bothered to even reply and Liam chose to shut her off completely. She tried calling him a couple of times throughout this past year but he never answered,”

“Maybe she regretted not saying anything when she was born?” Alexis asked.

“That woman tried to break us up because of a freaking business deal and she hates me more than anything in this world,” Fallon murmured, “we were not really surprised when she didn’t show any interest in meeting Charlotte,”

As they reached the second floor, Liam guided Laura straight into one of the guest rooms and closed the door behind him. She scanned the room for a couple of minutes, taking in the details of the decoration before facing her son.

“I tried to call,” Laura started, “you never picked up so I decided to pay you a visit,”

“Why?” Liam crossed his arms against his chest. “You clearly don’t care about your son’s happiness so why is it _so_ important that you check on me?”

“Of course I do, Liam,” Laura took a step forward in an attempt of getting closer to him but he moved backwards before she could continue take another step.

“You tried to break me and Fallon up because of a business deal so I’m sorry if I don’t believe this sick and disgusting act that you do care, mom!” Liam exclaimed. “You tried to keep us apart when we first started dating, you did everything you could to push her away when I had amnesia and then you asked Blake to break us up to get CA back from you... how can you even expect me to believe a word you say?” He inquired.

“I’m your _mother_ , Liam, I love you!” Laura tried but she could see Liam was only getting more angry and furious.

“We let you come to the wedding in spite of everything. That was almost four years ago and ever since then, you’ve been nothing but a cold and heartless woman,” Liam continued. “I know you have your issues with Fallon and you’re not exactly mother of the year material but we still had a reasonable relationship, mom, but you decided to throw that all away for good just because I married her?” He questioned. “That’s _sick_ , mom, even for _your_ standards,”

“I don’t like that girl, Liam, I never did,” Laura rolled her eyes, “she’s just another spoiled brat with daddy issues who is just desperate for someone like you,”

“Are you _hearing_ yourself right now?” Liam countered.

“I was just trying to do what was best for you, Liam! I’m sorry if I stopped calling you after you got married, alright?” Laura replied. “I just hated so much that you were here... living with her, building a life with her,”

“I’ve already accepted that you hate Fallon,” Liam told her, “now I don’t even really care because it’s not your choice and I’m done trying to get you to see what I see in her because you’re clearly not interested, but to come here on the exact date of Charlotte’s first birthday is some kind of risk not even you have ever taken, mom,”

“I didn’t want to accept that you had had a _child_ with her, Liam,” Laura took a few steps backwards until she was closer enough to the bed end to sit on it, “but I realized how childish and wrong that had been a few months ago and I tried to call you but you never answered,”

“Oooh, so your body decided to grow a heart and you thought it was time to finally meet your granddaughter?” Liam threw her a suspicious yet puzzled look. “May I ask what kind of black magic or mystery spell brought you all the way down to Atlanta?”

“I’m sick, Liam,” Laura went straight to the point. There was really no point on prolonging their argument anyway.

“I believe you’ve already used that excuse mom,” Liam laughed sarcastically, “one of your first attempts of breaking Fallon and I up if I recall correctly,”

“I’m serious, Liam,”

“That’s also what you said last time so don’t expect me to believe you’re sick this time too,” Liam added.

“I have every single medical file inside my bag if you want to see for yourself,” she told him.

“How do I know you didn’t buy this from some shady doctor like you _also_ did the last time you tried this?” He asked.

“I was diagnosed with breast cancer six months ago, Liam. That’s when I started calling you because in spite of everything, you’re still my son and you deserved to know about it,” she started, “but you never answered me and I knew it was because I hadn’t said anything when Charlotte was born so I decided to give you some time. I wasn’t going to tell you this through a text and you’d never believe me if I texted you that I wanted to meet Charlotte so eventually I just gave up, hoping you would call when you were ready,” she explained, “I had a mastectomy four months ago and I’ve been taking all the drugs but at my last appointment, three weeks ago, they found new cancer cells, which means,”

“You’re still sick,” Liam interrupted.

“They said it’s treatable with drugs and radiation and I won’t need to undergo another surgery for now but you never know,” Laura shrugged. “I thought I was good and then it comes back not even six months later... it gave me time to think and realize that I really don’t like Fallon and that I wish you had gotten someone better but if she's the one who you chose to be with, I should at least _tolerate_ that,”

“It took you five years, a series of unsuccessful break up attempts and even _cancer_ for you to decide to _tolerate_ my relationship?” Liam paced around the room, his hand running through his hair faster than ever. “I’m sorry, mom, but this whole story still doesn’t justify you complete ignoring such an important moment in my life,”

“I know I screwed up our relationship and I will be out of our way in no time but I would really like to meet her,” she begged, “I’m not even asking to be in your lives, Liam, I just want to see her, just once,

“You could call her by her name, you know?”

“Can I meet Charlotte?” Laura reformulated.

“If it’s okay with Fallon, yes, you can meet her,” Liam’s tone was starting to sound less angry but he was still clearly upset. “I wanted to end the Van Kirk line because I’m tired of this sick drama. You’re all too messed up to even notice what you do to people around you,” he continued, “but Charlotte is the best thing that has ever happened to us and there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t thank every single god and force of the universe for sending such an angel into our lives. Fallon and I were both messed up really hard and we don’t want that for her because she’s not experiencing even a few minutes of the drama we experienced our whole lives,” he told his mother.

Liam still couldn’t be exactly sure if his mother was indeed sick as she was saying and even if she was, he also couldn’t tell if the disease had really gotten her to have a change of heart or if she was terminally ill at the point of finally deciding to meet her graddaughter.

“You saw for yourself that Blake and Alexis are here because they care about her and they have since she was born. Alexis has proved to be the most amazing grandparent our girl could ever have and Blake... well, he’s still the same old Blake but he clearly cares about her,” Liam ran his hand over his eyes. He wasn’t supposed to be crying, “but you, mom, you chose not to be involved. You chose not to care and you _chose_ not to be her grandmother. It wasn’t my decision, hell, it wasn’t _Fallon_ ’s decision. It was purely _your_ decision. You can go downstairas and talk to Fallon about it and if she agrees, you meet Charlotte, but you’re returning to New York right after that happens,”

They walked back to the party in silence. Everyone was still at the living room, chatting and playing with Charlotte and her stuffed animals. A smile appeared on Liam’s face as soon as he stepped into the room and heard his daughter’s laugh as Fallon held one of the polar bears in front of her face and pretended to attack her. When her mother got too close to her, Charlotte got scared and turned around, running into Alexis’ arms as her grandmother was sitting on the floor only a few feet behind her and the entire family laughed at her reaction.

“Fallon,” the brunette placed the stuffed animal down on the couch when she heard her name, “is it okay if I meet Charlotte?” Laura asked.

“What does _Liam_ have to say about it?” Fallon questioned.

“He said I can meet her as long as you’re okay with it,” she explained.

“Go ahead,” Fallon gestured towards Charlotte, her tone serious.

“Hi Charlotte,” Laura sat down on the couch and waved at the one year old sitting on Alexis’ legs but Charlotte seemed to be more focused on the stuffed penguin she was holding.

They were all staring at the scene in front of them. Fallon and Liam watched Laura like hawks, ready to stand up and do whatever was necessary to get her away from the daughter while the others focused on how Charlotte didn’t even seem to aknowledge her grandmother’s presence. Alexis already had one arm wrapped around Charlotte’s stomach but she tightened her grip on her granddaughter every time Laura slid closer to them.

“Say hi, Charlie,” Alexis whispered at her.

“Hi,” Charlotte waved at Laura before turning back to the animal.

“Happy birthday,” Laura offered her a smile, “you don’t know me but I’m your grandmother. I live on the opposite side of the country but I came here to wish you a happy birthday,” she told her. “Can I?” She turned towards the young couple, asking permission to touch her and Fallon replied with a nod.

“That was very mature of you, Fallon,” Blake spoke as he approached them, “to be honest I thought you would deny her request,”

Alexis unwrapped her arm from Charlotte’s body, expecting Laura to at least take the one year old in her arms but the only thing she did was touch Charlotte’s cheek gently and rubbing her thumb over her soft skin.

“Happy birthday, Charlotte,” Laura said before standing back up on her feet.

“I will walk you to the door, mom,” Liam placed one hand on her lower back. When they reached the entrance hall, Liam held the wide oak door open for her. “I hope you know deep down that you didn’t come here for Charlotte or any of us. The first birthday of a child is probably one of the most important moments for parents but it’s not why you’re here. As always, you’re here because of _yourself_.... because of your _own_ interests,” he told her. “You didn’t come because of Charlotte, you came because you’re sick and you want to make yourself feel better because you regret some of your decisions, like never coming when she was born. If you ever decide to come back to Atlanta for Charlotte and Charlotte _alone_ , we will be here, ready to welcome you but if you can’t put your drama and your own self aside, you can stay in New York for all I care,”

* * *

“Happy birthday, dear Charlotte,” they all sang as Fallon bounced Charlotte in her arms, “happy birthday to you!” Sam whistled at the end and the one year old laughed at his funny face.

“Charlie! Look at me, baby!” Sam continued with the funny faces, getting her attention completely as he held Fallon’s iPhone up. “Look here, you two!” He added while snapping as many photos as he could from the small family behind the cake. “Eyes on the penguin, Charlie,” he shook the stuffed animal right next to the screen and she let out a loud laugh when Fallon and Liam gave each other a slight nod before they both leaned forward to kiss her cheeks. Her eyes sparkled as soon as she felt their lips against her skin, her mouth wide open from all the laughing as Sam snapped more shots of them.

Standing upright, Fallon couldn’t help but laugh when she noticed the bright red smooch on her cheek. Liam turned towards them, settling one hand on Charlotte’s body while using the other to bring Fallor closer to him, pulling her in for a kiss. When their lips touched, Charlotte turned herself around in Fallon’s arms and placed one hand on each of their necks, trying to get their attention back to her.

The kiss lasted for only a couple of seconds. Suddenly the need to congratulate each other on the first year of their baby girl wasn’t as important as giving her all the attention she wanted at that moment. It hadn’t been an easy year. Fallon and Liam had both learned so much with Charlotte that as their daughter grew more and more each day, the only certainty they had was there none of them was the same from a year back.

Charlotte had showed Liam that it’s possible to have an amazing and happy family even when you come from a broken one. She had taught him how to be more open towards new challenges in life as she was the biggest and most exciting one he was probably ever going to face.

She had taught Fallon how to be patient and kind towards other people and she had taught her how to do practically everything by herself, as the fear of becoming like their mothers hanged constantly over her shoulders. She didn’t want her daughter to ever feel like she wasn’t there for her, not even for one minute but most important of all, Charlotte had showed Fallon that what really matters in life is the family you get to at the end of the day; because the true meaning of happiness is getting home after a stressful day of work only to find her amazing husband and adorable baby girl waiting for her.

Parenthood was scary and tricky and while they didn’t admit it out loud, both of them lived with the constant fear that one day they would just slip and she would become as messed up as they were. All those thoughts faded and quickly went away, however, when they walked into her room every morning or when she looked at them and said the words “mama” and “dada” like they were her entire world; and that they were. A year had gone by fast and a lot had changed between them but if there was one thing they were one hundred percent sure of, it was that Charlotte Ridley was the best thing that had ever happened in their lives.

Everyone knows a child’s first birthday party is not for the child itself but for the parents to celebrate the first year of their most precious thing and that’s exactly how they felt. Charlotte was indeed too young to enjoy any kind of party but Fallon and Liam were the ones getting the greatest gift of all that afternoon everytime they heard her laughing at something, filling the room with their most favorite sound in the world.

“I love you,” Liam whispered at Fallon, giggling softly once he realized the tears in her eyes, “and I love you, princess,” he took the one year old in his arms before looking back into Fallon’s eyes, “happy birthday, Charlotte,” he placed a kiss on the top of her head as Fallon played tickled her belly lightly.

Returning to the table, Liam leaned in so they could at least pretend that Charlotte was blowing out the tall number one candle. However, much to everyone’s surprise, Charlotte threw herself forward in Liam’s arms and smashed her head on the first tier of the cake while her tiny hand tried to reach for one of the animals on top.

“Liam!” Fallon screamed and he could only tighten his grip on her legs but her head had already ended up on the frosting.

“Mama!” Charlotte turned to Fallon, still laughing and offering her a handful of cake. She had frosting, chocolate and whipped cream all over her face but she didn’t even seem to mind. “Mama,” she extended her hand towards Fallon.

“I get the first piece?” Fallon was trying her best to keep the tears at bay but they were simply betraying her. “Mhmm,” she reached for Charlotte’s wrist and took her tiny hand to her mouth, allowing her daughter to feed her as she tasted the smashed piece of cake. “It’s pretty good, honey,” she nodded.

“Guess we’re going to need that change of outfit after all,” Liam teased when Charlotte reached for the cake once more before taking it to her own mouth and eating the piece just like her mother had done. “I will go upstairs to change her so she doesn’t get frosting all over your dress as well,” he laughed.

“Come here,” Fallon wrapped one arm around him while taking a step forward to close the remaining distance between them.

“No, Charlie, no,” Liam groaned when she put both hands on Fallon’s chest, her open palms smudging cake all over her mother’s dress.

“It’s okay, babe,” Fallon offered them a smile,” today’s her day. If she wants to throw the entire cake on me, she can,” she laughed.

“Mama, mama,” Charlotte hummed, kicking her legs back and forth and leaning her upper body towards Fallon as she tried to get out of Liam’s arms.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re all about mama today,” Liam rolled her eyes. He couldn’t deny that he would love some attention from her but watch his girls interact was one of his favorite things to do, “but you can say daddy too, remember?” He spoke as he placed Charlotte in Fallon’s arms.

“Mama,” Charlotte wrapped her arms around her neck, resting her head on Fallon’s shoulder as she looked back at her father.

“I’m right here, princess,” Fallon shook her head slightly, she was definitely enjoying all the snuggles from her baby girl, “but remember what mommy’s been teaching you?” She asked the one year old, who just stared at her with wide eyes. “You wanna say that to daddy?”

“Dada,” Charlotte raised one arm, pointing her still frosting covered index finger at Liam.

“Tell him,” Fallon bounced her gently to give her some encouragement.

“Dada,” she repeated while Liam cupped her face, delicately tracing his thumb over her chubby cheek to get ride of some of the chocolate cake bits, “ _ovu_ ,”

“That’s supposed to turn into an ‘I love you’ at some point,” Fallon giggled, “we just need a little more practice,”

“I love you too, princess,” Liam leaned in to place a kiss on her forehead and Fallon was able to catch a glimpse of the tears pooling in his eyes, “to the moon and back,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it! Let me know what you think!!


	13. Mom. A Title Just Above Queen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of people asked me for this moment between Fallon and Charlotte and what better day to post it than today?
> 
> Hope you're all having a great day with your loved ones and I hope you enjoy this special chapter!

The sun was shining brightly on that warm September morning, the clear blue from the sky matching the light turquoise shade from the wide ocean right outside. It was early, not even eight o’clock, but Fallon was already up, standing on the balcony of their luxury suite while she listened to the soft sound of the waves as the almost transparent water hit the shore.

Shaking her head slightly, Fallon couldn’t help but giggle as she gazed at her surroundings. Work had been very stressful for both of them that past month with the release of Liam’s next book approaching but thankfully, everything was running accordingly. After many sleepless nights and plenty of fifteen hours shifts, Liam had surprised her with a long weekend getaway - four whole days at the paradisiacal Grace Bay beach in Turks and Caicos.

They had been working together most of the time, alternating between planning press releases, drafting speeches and discussing possible interviews, all of that while parenting and making sure their baby girl didn’t spend more than two hours with the babysitter and away from them.

The routine at Fallon Unlimited had definitely changed after the youngest Ridley’s arrival. Suddenly, Liam was paying more and more visits to the office and most of the time, Allison would walk in only to find Fallon pacing around the room, her AirPods in her ears as she conducted a business call while running her hand smoothly over the back of the baby girl cradled safely in the baby sling around her body.

Liam, however, had been very clear when he mentioned they needed some time for themselves before the book came out. He would spend most of the following weekends away on business trips to promote the book and he wanted to make sure their family spent some quality time together, even if only for a few days.

“You see how pretty the ocean is, princess?” Fallon looked at the nine months old.

Charlotte hadn’t fully woken up yet, her head nestled against Fallon’s shoulder while her mother held her against her hips. She snuggled closer to Fallon still half asleep but her eyes were wide open, staring at the wide ocean ahead of her as she tried to understand what exactly it was as she had never seen anything like that before.

“Are you going to be a beach and water person like daddy?” She giggled. “Or a big hat and large umbrellas kind of girl that stays away from the sun like mommy?”

“Ehh,” Charlotte murmured. Staring up at Fallon, she held the top of her mother’s nightgown, her tiny fingers gripping tightly onto the light pink lace currently covering her breasts. “Ahh!” She insisted while pulling the fabric down.

“I guess neither of those before your morning milk, right?” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh. “Mommy’s gonna give you breakfast, Charlie, there’s no need to fuss,”

Settling her right arm behind Charlotte’s small body, Fallon leaned the baby girl backwards until she was lying against her stomach. Using her free hand, Fallon slid the thin strap of her nightgown down her shoulders but barely had any time to pull her nightgown properly down when Charlotte pushed it out of her way herself and quickly latched onto her mother’s breast.

“Someone’s hungry,” Fallon smiled, running her hand delicately over Charlotte’s brown hair as the nine months old sucked eagerly on her nipple. “You like the ocean breeze, princess?” She asked. “Feels good to be away from the city, doesn’t it?”

Walking towards the large doors that led to the room, Fallon peered through the glass to check on her husband. Liam was sprawled out in the middle of the king sized bed with his face buried in the pillow Fallon had used that night. He had kicked the white cotton sheets off him and she could only shake her head at the sight of him lying on his stomach wearing nothing but his black Batman boxers.

Fallon had bought it as a joke for their third anniversary, six months back, mostly to tease him into thinking she hadn’t gotten him a real gift but what she hadn’t expected was for him to like it so much he would _actually_ wear it once in a while. She couldn’t deny that she loved staring at the large yellow bat signal on his perfect ass but she was also never admitting that to him, no matter how much he tried to trick her into telling him that she in fact _liked_ those superhero boxers.

“Your daddy is such a child,” Fallon giggled softly at Charlotte before sitting down on one of the armchairs.

Adjusting her daughter against her chest, Fallon placed her feet on the small coffee table in front of her while leaning back. With Liam still asleep and Charlotte nursing for at least the next fifteen minutes, Fallon stared at the ocean in front of her, finally allowing herself to relax.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she focused on the warm breeze hitting her skin as she listened to the waves crashing on the shore mixed with the soft gulping noises that Charlotte was making.

After forty minutes of nursing and burping Charlotte, Fallon finally returned to their suite while wondering what they could do on their first day in the Caribbean. She could hear her husband’s muffled snores against the pillow when she sat down on the bottom edge, placing her daughter on the mattress.

“Eh! Eh!” Charlotte exclaimed, smiling widely as she crawled fast towards her father. “Ahh!” She turned her head towards her mother and giggled playfully before climbing on Liam’s back. “Ehh,” she laughed while playing with his hair.

“You’re going to wake daddy, princess,” Fallon could only shake her head when Charlotte lied down on his back, resting her head over his and settling her hands on his shoulders. The nine months old fit perfectly on his back, her tiny socked feet only an inch away from his boxers.

“She already did...” Liam murmured. “Oh I wonder what’s that heavy weight on my back that I can’t move!” He squirmed lightly and Charlotte started laughing at how amusing it was to tease him. “Fal, do you think you can check what it is?” He questioned. “Oh my, it’s so heavy it my break my back!”

“Ehh!” Charlotte laughed louder, tapping his shoulders with her tiny palms while he pretended to be terribly stuck under an enormous amount of weight.

“I don’t see anything, babe,” Fallon rounded the bed so she could sit by the headboard. “You’re probably just getting too old to sleep in that position,”

“I’m not _old_!” Liam groaned while turning on his side.

“Oh!” Charlotte screamed when she slid off his back at his sudden movement. “Eh!” She started laughing at her parents and took one foot in her hands as she ended up on her back between them.

“Oh, princess, you’re in _trouble_ ,” Fallon noticed Liam kneeling on the bed before jumping on top of her. He placed his hands on the mattress - one on each side of her head - then buried his face on her neck while tickling her belly.

“Ah! Ah!” Her loud laugh echoed around the small but fancy room and she closed her eyes when the tickles became too much.

“Daddy was sleeping _so_ good, Charlotte!” Liam teased before he started blowing kisses all over her chest. “You woke me up so now you’re gonna face the big angry monster!” He exclaimed, scattering gentle and soft bites down her arm until he reached her hand. “Oh the angry monster likes to eat tiny fingers from baby girls when they wake them up so early in the morning?” His tone was rough, as if he was telling her a horror story as he raised her hand to his mouth slowly enough to keep the teasing going.

“Eh! Ehhh!” Charlotte didn’t sound scared at all and burst out laughing when Liam put her tiny hand inside his mouth and pretended to eat her fingers. “Ahh!” She screamed excitedly while kicking her legs back and forth.

“She’s smarter than you, babe,” Fallon told him, “she knows you’re not going to actually eat her fingers,”

“You’re going to be a trouble maker when you grow up, aren’t you?” Liam giggled, leaning back against the headboard as he pulled Charlotte up to a sitting position, settling her right between him and Fallon.

“Eh,” Charlotte replied, not even bothering to look at him as she played with the small giraffe Fallon had taken to the bed.

“Good morning,” Liam leaned over Charlotte so he could give his wife a kiss good morning but what he didn’t expect was for their daughter to stand up at the same time.

“Uhh, uhh!” Charlotte complained, standing on her wobbly legs while holding onto Fallon’s shoulders. The top of her head hit their chins from below but she wasted no time on taking her tiny hands to their faces so she could break their kiss.

“Hey!” Liam groaned when he was forced to let go of her lips. “You wake me up before nine and now you don’t let me kiss mommy?” He questioned her.

“Mama,” Charlotte blurted out while throwing her arms around Fallon’s neck so she wouldn’t fall down.

“What did you just say?” Fallon glanced at Liam for a quick second but quickly turned all of her attention to the baby girl clinging to her.

“Mama,” the nine months old stared at Fallon before pressing her lips against her mother’s, just like Liam had done only a minute back, “mama,”

“Oh my god,” the brunette turned towards Liam with so many tears in her eyes she could barely see anything clearly. “That’s right, baby, I’m your mama,” she hugged the nine months old as tight as she could.

“I think I can forgive you for waking me up this early...” Liam rolled his eyes, “but I’m only forgiving you from breaking my kiss with mommy if you say daddy,” he spoke as Fallon scooted closer to him on the bed, placing Charlotte on one of her legs so the three of them would be as close as possible to each other.

“Mama!” Charlotte threw her arms up in the air then looked up at Fallon with her brightest smile, her blue eyes shining in both love and adoration at the sight of her mother.

“Okay, I’ve always known you’re a mama’s girl but you’re starting to hurt my feelings now,” Liam pouted.

“Give daddy a kiss, princess,” Fallon told her, “come on,” she helped Charlotte stand on her feet then turned her towards Liam while resting her head against her husband’s shoulder.

“ _Muah!_ ” Charlotte exclaimed before giving him a quick peck on the lips.

Fallon wasn’t expecting her to really move and let go of her seconds before the baby girl jumped forward, throwing herself at her father. When her legs couldn’t support her, her cheek hit his chest and she started sliding down his body, her stomach gliding down his toned abs until she eventually landed on his legs with her face on his belly button. She was clearly having a lot of fun climbing on their bodies to get all of their attention towards her instead of each other.

“You’re going to throw up all that milk you just had if you keep playing like this, princess,” Fallon picked her up and sat her back on her legs.

“She’s growing up so fast,” Liam mentioned.

Throwing one arm over Fallon’s shoulder, he pulled her closer to him then placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. Fallon leaned her whole body against him, accepting his embrace willingly as they watched their baby girl play with her giraffe while babbling random sounds.

“Charlotte just said mama, Liam,” Fallon still couldn’t believe she had actually heard her daughter say that word that morning.

“She did,” Liam smiled, running a hand through Charlotte’s dark brown hair before placing a quick kiss against his wife’s lips. He ran his thumb over her cheeks, capturing the tears that were leaving her body in such a high speed as she stared at their baby girl. “Can you believe she’s going to be one in three months?” He asked her.

“Is it crazy that I want her to start talking and walking on her own but I also want her to stay like this forever?” Fallon pulled Charlotte closer to them, settling her right between their bodies before placing her arm in front of her daughter until her hand was sitting on Liam’s stomach. “We love you so much, baby girl,” she spoke while leaning forward to kiss the top of her head.

“It’s not crazy,” he replied, “not at all,”

“I don’t want her to grow up, Liam,” Fallon hugged Charlotte tightly, resting her cheek against the top of the her head before meeting Liam’s eyes, “I want her to be my baby girl forever...”

“She will _always_ be your baby girl, Fal,” Liam said softly, his fingers twisting around her brown strands as he played with her hair.

“Mama,” Charlotte turned towards her mother and offered Fallon her giraffe.

“I still ask myself every day what exactly we did to deserve this girl,” Fallon admitted.

“Charlotte came to prove us that it’s possible to have that happy and fulfilling life we only read about in books and watched in movies,” Liam told her. “She’s here to show us that we’re not our parents and that you deserve to have the family you’ve always wanted, Fal,”

“She really changed your mind, didn’t she?”

“I changed my mind the second I accepted how on board I was with your pregnancy, Fallon,” he admitted, “but I knew I was doomed as soon as I laid my eyes on her in that hospital room... still covered in blood and crying her eyes out,”

“So you wouldn’t change anything if you could?” She asked. “Maybe have those results come back negative...”

“And not getting her?” Liam traced soft circles on the back Charlotte’s hand. “I know I said I didn’t want kids when we first started talking about our future but Charlie? I wouldn’t trade her for anything in this world...” He offered Fallon a smile before placing a kiss on his daughter’s tiny hand. “She brought a kind of light to our lives that we never even knew we needed... she’s half you and half me and even though it looks like she’s all you, I’m sure there’s at least one cell with my DNA in her somewhere,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh at his description.

“Charlotte’s our baby girl, our princess and she’s by far the best thing that has ever happened to us... so no, I wouldn’t change anything and looking back at that time and even our fight about me not wanting kids, all I can think of is how stupid and blind I was but now I know that we’re supposed to become parents, Fal. In spite of everything, we’re supposed to have a family of our own and Charlotte’s been showing us exactly that,”

“I think it’s safe to assume she has both of us wrapped around her finger already,” Fallon laughed, glancing between them, “but mostly, I just feel incredibly lucky that I get to have you by my side, through every step of the way, so we can raise this trouble maker together,”

“I love you, Fal,” Liam covered her lips with his for a sweet and passionate kiss.

“I love you too, babe,” Fallon offered him a smile before they exchanged suspicious looks that could only mean one thing.

“And we love _you_ more than anything in this world, princess!” Fallon raised Charlotte between them and they both crashed their lips on her cheeks, squeezing her body and covering her face with kisses as she laughed loudly for them.

“Yes, we do!” Liam chuckled against her neck.

Fallon was using both her arms to hold Charlotte in a sitting position between them when she started shaking her arms in excitement as Liam blew wet and loud kisses on her neck mostly to tease her because he knew how badly it tickled her.

When they finally allowed their daughter a couple of minutes to breath, they glanced at each other, both of them with a wide and bright smile plastered on their lips as they enjoyed that intimate, joyful and carefree moment with their baby girl.

Holding onto one of Charlotte’s thighs to take some of her weight off Fallon’s hands, Liam leaned forward and covered his wife’s smile with his, engaging on a meaningful kiss that ended up cut short when Charlotte groaned beneath them.

“Yeah, yeah, I know you get jealous when I kiss mommy,” Liam laughed after breaking the kiss.

“I think she wants one too,” Fallon smiled when Charlotte pursed her lips at Liam, staring at her father with their bright blue eyes as she waited for him to give her the same special treatment her mother was getting. “Come on, daddy,” she spoke softly as she held Charlotte closer to him.

“I love you, princess,” Liam tickled her belly again before leaning in to place a peck on her tiny chubby lips.

“Eh!” Charlotte giggled.

“You’ve gotten two kisses already, Miss Ridley, I think that’s enough,” Fallon laughed when she tried to kiss him again. “He’s _my_ husband, you know?”

“Who’s the jealous one now?” Liam teased, laughing at Fallon’s disapproving face when he gave his another quick kiss.

* * *

Fallon and Charlotte were already sitting on a beach towel under a large umbrella when Liam approached them with one glass in each hand. He had made a quick stop at the beach bar while Fallon headed straight to the sand to set everything up.

An employee from the resort had set the umbrella at the spot chosen by Fallon and she had thrown their large linen towel on the sand so she and Charlotte could sit down without getting any sand on their bodies.

“Are you going to use the _entire_ bottle on her?” Liam laughed when he noticed the amount of sunscreen on Charlotte’s body.

“We can’t take any chances,”

“She’s white and _shining_ , Fallon,” Liam mentioned.

“Which means she’s safe and perfectly protected from any kind of sunburn,” Fallon replied.

“Here,” Liam handed her one of the drinks before sitting down on the towel; a tall hurricane cocktail glass filled to the top and garnished with half a slice of pineapple and a pink loop straw. “A virgin piña colada for the lady,”

“Thank you,” Fallon offered him a smile. “Charlotte, you gotta stay on the towel,” she spoke when the nine months old crawled towards the sand.

“Let her have fun, Fal,” Liam said softly, “she’s never been to the beach and she’s a curious baby,”

“Oh Liam!” Fallon screamed when she noticed Charlotte taking a handful of sand to her mouth.

“No, no, no,” Liam murmured, grabbing his daughter’s wrist before she could put the sand in her mouth. “That’s dirty, princess,” he spoke while cleaning the sand off her tiny hand.

“Take her off the sand, Liam,”

“Let her play, Fallon,” he replied. “Can you help daddy fill this bucket, Charlie?” He reached for the small red bucket and placed it between them. “We can build sand castles!”

“Oh god,” Fallon murmured, rolling her eyes with a disgusted look plastered on her face when Charlotte dug her hands in the sand to start filling the bucket.

“Very good, princess!” Liam exclaimed when she opened her hands and let the sand fall in the bucket.

“At least put her sunglasses on, Liam,” Fallon handed him the baby sunglasses he didn’t even know his daughter had.

“When did you get this?” He asked while staring at the flower shaped tortoiseshell sunglasses.

“A few weeks ago when I went to Dolce & Gabbana to get her new dresses,” she replied while Liam set the sunglasses carefully on Charlotte’s face, “oh, I’m sure she’s the most adorable baby here,”

“She’s _our_ baby, Fal, of course she’s the most adorable one here,” Liam chuckled. “Are you going to swim in the ocean for the first time today, princess?” He asked his daughter.

“Eh!” Charlotte exclaimed. There was barely any sand in the bucket when Charlotte put her hands down and started crawling towards her parents. “Mama,” she murmured before climbing on Fallon’s legs so she could reach her mother’s breasts.

“Aren’t you going to yell at her for getting sand all over you?” Liam questioned, “last time we were at the beach you almost killed me for _accidentally_ kicking sand all over you,”

“Charlotte’s my baby girl,” Fallon shrugged, “she has all kinds of privileges, Liam,”

“Oh okay,” he rolled his eyes, “sometimes I forget she can do anything and I’ll always be the one you’re going to blame in the end,”

“I’m glad you know that’s how it works,” Fallon offered him a smile.

“Mama!” Charlotte exclaimed, clearly bothered by the lack of attention from her parents. “Mama,” she repeated while gripping onto Fallon’s dark blue cover up.

“She’s going to say that all day from now on to get what she wants,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh at their daughter’s attempt of getting Fallon’s clothes out of her way.

“You’re just jealous that she isn’t saying daddy yet,” Fallon teased her husband as she settled Charlotte against her chest before unbuttoning her cover up and pushing her bikini top to the side.

“It’s just not fair...” Liam groaned, “I take such good care of her and all she cares about is you,”

“Charlotte loves you, babe,” Fallon told him, “she just loves me _more_ ,” she teased, chuckling at him while running a hand over her daughter’s brown hair.

“Which means you’re going to the ocean with us today because she’s asking, right?” Liam teased back.

He knew damn well that Fallon wasn’t a water person and it was almost impossible to get her to the ocean every time they went to the beach together. Either the weather was too hot, the sun was shining too brightly, the water was too cold or any other reason that she would come up with not to leave her sweet spot under the umbrella.

“She _just_ started speaking words that make sense,” Fallon rolled her eyes, “I’m currently the only thing in her vocabulary and I highly doubt that means going in the water,” she groaned.

“It’s Charlotte’s first time at the beach, Fal,” Liam reminded her, “you _have_ to take her to the ocean,”

“I thought that was your job?” Fallon asked him, “my job is to keep her in the shadow with as much sunscreen as she can have,”

“This is a milestone, Fallon, and you’re not missing any second of it,”

“Can’t we just enjoy the peaceful sound of the ocean from right here?” She continued. “It’s so much better...”

“No,” Liam said shortly, “if she’s anything like you, which we both know she _is_ , she’s going to stay in the water for five minutes before begging to come back,” he laughed, “which means we won’t even stay long in there... but you can’t just _not_ take your daughter for her first time in the ocean, Fallon,”

“What if she’s like you and wants to stay there all day long?” Fallon countered.

“Fallon,” Liam paused, turning towards his wife as he took the last sip of his drink, “as far as I am concerned, you made this baby girl all by yourself without me even realizing it because if you can find a single trace of me in her, I will give you a prize,”

“So _that’s_ why you want to take her to the ocean!” Fallon exclaimed. “To see if she’s going to enjoy the water like you...”

“Well, it’s worth the shot,” he shrugged.

“Okay,” Fallon nodded, “I will join you two in the ocean but if she does enjoy that horrible feeling of the water hitting your body, I will come back and you two can stay there for as long as you want,” she told him, “and I want her with her sunglasses _and_ hat on,”

“Of course, of course,” Liam laughed, “I wouldn’t want any sun rays hitting her precious face, babe,”

“Thank god you’re a quick learner,” Fallon winked at him.

“When you live with the two of you, you don’t have much choice,” he spoke playfully before placing one kiss on Fallon’s cheek and one on the top of their daughter’s head. “It’s a good thing I’m also very calm and patient because you two might give me a run for my money someday,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all liked it!! Let me know what you think!!


	14. Special Breakfast

“Good morning,” Charlotte spoke as she walked into the kitchen. “How are my favorite people on this fine morning?” She pulled one of the stools away from the counter so she could climb on it.

Charlotte glanced between her parents when she didn’t get a reply from any of them but decided against saying anything else. Reaching for the bottle of milk, she filled her Olaf mug before taking a large sip as she waited for them to engage on a conversation with her. Liam was standing on the opposite side of the counter, still in his sleepwear and quite a messy hair as he scrambled eggs for the entire family. Meanwhile, Fallon was sitting at the small table on the corner of the room, nibbling on some grapes as she nursed the four months old baby.

“What on Earth are you wearing, Charlotte?” Liam asked seconds before a long yawn escaped.

Olivia had cried all night, clearly bothered by abdominal cramps so he and Fallon had barely gotten any sleep. Fallon hadn’t even realized Charlotte wasn’t wearing her Christmas themed pajamas until Liam mentioned her current outfit.

Turning her head slightly to the left, she couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of her first born wearing a plain white shirt, with the rolled up sleeves sitting on the middle of her forearm and her hair tied up in a bun.

“A white shirt?” Charlotte looked down at herself, holding the hem of the shirt with both hands, answering the question as if her choice of outfit was highly obvious.

“Why are you wearing a shirt for breakfast?” Liam reformulated the question. For a minute, he wondered if he actually wanted the answer to that question considering his daughter’s usual sassiness was probably only going to _add_ to his headache and exhaustion at such an early hour in the morning.

“What happened to the Grinch pajamas you were wearing last night?” Fallon asked, rubbing the back of her hand against her eyes. She could swear Charlotte was wearing her red and green pajamas when she took her to bed the night before but she had been awake for so long she couldn’t even tell the days apart.

“Is that _my_ shirt?” Liam questioned when his half asleep brain noticed the shirt was too big to even be hers.

“Every time mommy comes down in your shirt you make her special breakfast,” Charlotte turned towards her father, “and I woke up in the mood for special breakfast today!” She exclaimed.

“It’s not really because of the shirt, Charlotte,” Liam murmured without realizing the words he had just spoken out loud.

“Then why do you do it?” Charlotte countered faster than he could think of a better answer.

“Yes, Liam, why do you do it?” Fallon also turned her head towards Liam. Her left arm was busy holding Olivia to her chest but her right hand flew immediately to her mouth as she tried not to laugh at the interaction between her husband and daughter.

“It’s all about the night not the morning,” Liam groaned, running his hand through his hair as he let out another yawn.

“What?” Charlotte asked.

“Liam!” Fallon screamed at the same time.

Olivia let go of Fallon’s nipple at her mother sudden scream, stretching her whole body while kicking her legs.

“I’m sorry, pumpkin,” Fallon whispered, trying to turn Olivia back towards her but she only refused, lying on her mother’s arms with her stomach up as she cried. “I’m so sorry, Liv,” she murmured, taking her breast in her hand in an attempt of trying to get her to latch on her nipple again.

“Oh god,” Liam closed his eyes for a moment. He tried to decide which daughter was driving him madder; the six years old asking too many questions or the four months old who didn’t understand the meaning of a quiet and peaceful house.

“What do you mean it’s all about the night, daddy?” Charlotte stared at him while tilting her head slightly to the right.

“Come on, Liv...” Fallon used her forearm to pull Olivia to her and guided her breast gently to her tiny mouth. Resting her nipple over the baby girl’s lips, she adjusted her daughter properly on her arms so she would return to a comfortable position then sighed in gratitude when Olivia finally latched onto her nipple.

“The counter is always covered in bacon, pancakes, warm chocolate cake, fresh strawberries and sometimes even smoothies every time mommy’s in your shirt!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Well, I want that too,” she told him, “but clearly you’re losing your touch,” she stared at the bottle of milk and the eggs still in the frying pan; literally the only two things on the counter that morning.

“I’m losing my touch?” Liam’s eyes widened.

“The eggs are burning, dad,” Charlotte replied nonchalantly.

“Oh my god!” Liam turned off the fire quickly and threw the frying pan inside the sink.

“I even found chocolate covered cherry truffles next to the red roses meant for mom one day,” Charlotte shrugged, jumping off the stool to head for the fridge.

“When did you even _buy_ cherry truffles?” Fallon threw him a puzzled look. “I haven’t had those in years,”

“Last month, I think?” Charlotte glanced at Fallon before reaching for the tupperware with sliced cheese. “You came down wearing daddy’s shirt and as always, daddy made you every kind of breakfast but then you two disappeared and left me all by myself here for almost an hour so I ate them,” she explained.

“ _All_ of them?” Liam asked surprised.

“There were _five_ , daddy,” Charlotte rolled her eyes, “it’s not like I ate the entire chocolate factory,” she added, “I think that was the best breakfast I’ve ever had...” she told them. “Is it _so_ hard for a man to do that for his girl once in a while?” She opened the bottom cabinet and retrieved the basket of bread. “I’m even wearing your shirt,” she turned towards Liam and shrugged at him.

“What’s so funny, Mrs. Ridley?” Liam asked his wife when her laugh echoed around the kitchen.

“It’s just that her name is Charlie and she mentioned eating the entire chocolate factory,” Fallon told him, “it was funny,”

“Oh my god, mom!” Charlotte dropped the two slices of bread she was holding on the floor. “You are a _genius_!” She exclaimed. “I should open a chocolate factory! I’m sure the kids will love it because of the movie,”

“It was actually Willy Wonka’s factory,” Liam countered.

“Yeah but he gave it to Charlie at the end,” Charlotte rolled her eyes. “I need to check my financials!” She murmured before running out of the kitchen, leaving both of her parents completely speechless with their jaws on the floor.

“What just happened?” Liam turned towards Fallon.

“I usually understand that girl but I haven’t slept in almost 48 hours,” Fallon walked around the kitchen slowly Olivia against her chest, singing a soft lullaby as she patted the baby’s back gently to help her burp, “so I think not _I_ even I can explain what just happened,” she admitted.

* * *

“How much do you think a chocolate factory costs, mom?” Charlotte opened her notebook on the first blank page then reached for her glittery pink pen.

“I’m not sure, baby,” Fallon replied while laying Olivia down on the warm blanket inside the baby bassinet.

“You can guess,”

“A couple of millions?” Fallon suggested.

“Ugh!” Charlotte groaned. “I don’t have that much yet,”

“How far are you from that?” She asked.

“A couple of millions?” The six years old answered with a suspicious look and Fallon couldn’t help but laugh loudly.

“I thought you were going to make a cheese sandwich not start a company,” Liam commented. “Do you think your next business can wait a few minutes so you can have breakfast?” He asked.

“Speaking of breakfast...” Charlotte set her pen down and looked up at Liam.

“Oh you’re in trouble,” Fallon whispered in his ear as she walked past him to get the electric breast pump.

“What exactly has to happen at night for me to get a special breakfast in the morning?” Charlotte asked him. “Mommy doesn’t wear your shirt every day and you don’t cook all of that every day either so it’s something other than sleep...”

“We...” Liam paused. He turned to Fallon with a horrified look on his face, begging for her to say something to pull him out of his misery.

“Did you forget?” Charlotte questioned, frowning. “You’re too young to start having memory lapses, daddy,” Fallon’s hand flew to her mouth and she even turned her back towards them so she wouldn’t laugh.

“We have pillow fights,” Liam replied with the first thing that his brain could come up with. “Your mom gets that kind of breakfast when she wins,”

“Pillow fights?” Charlotte asked in surprise but also in slight disappointment. “What are you? Six?”

“Why are you judging us?” Liam crossed his arms. “As far as I’m concerned you _love_ pillow fights!”

“I _am_ six, daddy,” Charlotte rolled her eyes.

“Charlie, if I make you some pancakes will you let your dad rest for a while?” Fallon decided to intervene before their daughter cornered Liam for good.

“You don’t _know_ how to make pancakes, mom,” Charlotte complained. Grabbing two new slices of bread, she threw them on the porcelain plate in front of her before reaching for the cheese. “I will just have a sandwich,” she spoke dramatically.

“Princess,” Fallon stood behind her daughter, settling the breast pump on the counter before reaching for her plate, “let me help, okay?”

Charlotte had thrown two slices of cheese on one of the breads and was just about to close the sandwich with the other when Fallon stopped her.

“Why do you wear daddy’s clothes to a pillow fight?” Charlotte asked, watching as Fallon spread the cream cheese over the bread. “Is it some kind of dress code?” She continued. “Do you wear mommy’s nightgown for the fight?” She turned towards Liam, who had just lifted the mug of coffee to his lips and ended up spitting all of the black liquid once he heard Charlotte’s question.

“No, I’m usually just naked,” Liam replied.

“Naked?!” Charlotte and Fallon exclaimed in unison.

“You two are _so_ weird,” the six years old mentioned.

“Here, baby,” Fallon placed the sandwich in front of her daughter. “Just eat, okay?” She leaned forward and placed a kiss on the top of her head.

“If we have a normal pillow fight tonight and I win, can you make me special breakfast tomorrow morning?” Charlotte took a bite of her sandwich.

“Yes, princess, you can have special breakfast tomorrow,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh.

“But nobody has to be naked right?” She asked him.

“No, Charlie,” Fallon spoke softly, “daddy needs to learn to keep his mouth shut before he can have naked pillow fight again,” she shot him a glare and he didn’t need much besides that to know how angry she was. “Are you going to make anything for breakfast or are we supposed to make our own?”

“You just made a sandwich for Charlotte, I’m sure you can make another one for yourself,” Liam rolled his eyes and Fallon could only shake her head, knowing he was just teasing her.

“She doesn’t eat bread, silly,” Charlotte murmured.

“She does sometimes,” Liam added, “which means it’s perfectly fine for her to eat a sandwich with you this morning,”

“Mommy’s weird... bread is _life_!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“Wait until those carbs get to your hips,” Fallon replied.

“Uncle Sam says daddy has a Greek god’s body and you are the prettiest woman in the world...” Charlotte commented. “If you’re really my biological parents and I wasn’t adopted or anything, I think I’m safe,” she spoke as she ate the last piece of her sandwich. “Now, can I have another one?” She offered Fallon the empty plate.

“Of course, ma’am,” Fallon giggled.

“Maybe add an extra slice of cheese this time,” she suggested.

“As you wish, milady,” she nodded.

“I don’t understand what kind of weird bond you two have and how you use that against me,” Liam started, “but I’m gonna take the one that hasn’t been taken to the dark side yet and we will be moving to Kansas this afternoon,”

“You’re making it sound like mom’s Darth Vader,” Charlotte complained, clearly bothered by his comment, “but enjoy Kansas, I hear they don’t have much there though,” she rolled her eyes before turning back to Fallon.

“You better leave my daughter though,” Fallon added.

“I will,” Liam settled Olivia against the right side of his body, “she’s right there,” she pointed at Charlotte.

“My _baby_ daughter too,” Fallon placed one hand on her hip after giving Charlotte her second sandwich.

“Oh no, you have one already,” Liam shook his head, “this one is all mine,”

“You wouldn’t last a day without us, babe, sorry to inform you,” Fallon teased him.

“Yeah, well, I will think of that while I give this one a bath,” he said before walking out of the kitchen.

“God, I’m starving!” Fallon complained. “Do you know how to make pancakes?” She asked Charlotte.

“Of course I do,” Charlotte offered her a smile, “grab the flour and the sugar from the top cabinet,” she instructed, “the dark side of the force is making pancakes!” She threw her arms up in the air in excitement. “Yes!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To those who don't have tumblr or twitter, I'll be doing a Charlotte Challenge on the first week of june. I will post one chapter every day, for an entire week, and you can send me prompts with specific scenes you want to see Charlotte in.
> 
> So, if there's something you want to see! Let me know!!
> 
> I hope you liked this one and I would love to know your thoughts of it!!! :)


	15. It's Cake Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so as boring as that live was, that short time we got of liz and adam got me in a falliam mood that not even the show could give me...
> 
> Then Liz blurted out "BABY" and I just lost it so I thought. Why not make this day even better? So yeah, here's a light and funny piece of our favorite girl.
> 
> This Friday is already way better than the fridays we actually got new episodes haha. Anyway, enjoy!!

“Daddy, the duck beeped!” Charlotte exclaimed. “You have to take the cake out of the oven!”

The five years old was on her knees on one of the bar stools, leaning over the marble counter as Liam stood across from her, holding a large glass bowl under his arm as he mixed the chocolate frosting.

“Quickly, daddy!” Charlotte’s eyes widened, “it’s going to burn!” She looked at him in total panic, scared that their cake would burn if Liam didn’t take it out the second the cook timer in the shape of a duck informed them their cake was ready.

“I _just_ checked it, princess,” Liam told her, “it still needs a couple more minutes,”

“Are you _sure_?” Charlotte turned the page of the book in front of her to go back to the beginning of the recipe. “It says thirty minutes, daddy,” she pointed at the bold numbers right under the title of the recipe. “See? _Thirty_! I may be five and my reading skills are not that good yet but I know the numbers, dad,”

“What’s going on here?” Fallon asked while entering the kitchen.

“We’re baking a cake,” Charlotte replied.

“ _We?_ ” Liam threw her a suspicious look.

“Baking?” Fallon glanced between them, surprised to find those two in the kitchen after the hard day they had had. “Since when do you _cook_?”

“Well, _daddy_ is baking,” the young brunette rolled her eyes, “I’m just giving him orders,” she admitted.

“Oh, that sounds more like you,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh as she approached her little girl.

“Have you seen this _mess_?” Charlotte questioned, gesturing at the dirty bowls, broken eggshells, the empty bottle of milk and all the flour that had ended up on the counter while Liam mixed the ingredients. “Charlotte is not getting her beautiful and soft hands dirty, no, thank you,” she shook her head. “Daddy has flour on his nose! I don’t know how he can live like that, I really don’t,” she shrugged while turning towards her mother.

“I see you’re feeling better, princess,” Fallon ran a hand softly through her daughter’s hair.

“I am,” Charlotte nodded, reaching her arms out for Fallon so her mother will pick her up, “my fever is gone so I told daddy we had to bake your favorite cake since we couldn’t go to the doctor with you this afternoon,” she explained.

“Oh baby, you didn’t have to go through all this trouble,” Fallon settled the five years old against the right side of her body then walked towards her husband to give him a kiss.

“No trouble at all, mommy,” Charlotte leaned her head against her shoulder.

“Hi babe,” Fallon smiled before giving him a quick peck on the lips. “I see Miss Ridley is putting you to work tonight,”

“She is,” Liam rolled his eyes playfully as he turned around to finally get the cake out of the oven. “She did promise to wash the dishes though. I’m just wondering how she’s going to do that if apparently she doesn’t get her soft hands dirty,”

“Carol got me small pink gloves,” Charlotte told him, “mommy told her I could get fifty bucks every time I washed the dishes and Carol keeps count of them so she can tell mom what I’ve earned at the end of every week,”

“Why didn’t you use your gloves to help me bake then?” Liam asked his daughter.

“I don’t get paid for _baking_ , daddy,” Charlotte rolled her eyes, “I get paid for _washing the dishes_. So if you bake the cake and I wash the dishes, we each do a task, I get to eat cake and then I get fifty bucks!” She exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air while feeling very proud of herself.

“Are you proud of the little monster you’re raising?” Liam asked when Fallon couldn’t control the loud laugh that escaped her lungs. “I spent the afternoon lying in bed with her because her fever wouldn’t go down and when it finally goes away, she plots against me to get cake and money!” He shook his head in total disbelief, making sure he frowned at Charlotte before returning to the frosting.

“I saw an opportunity and I took it,” Charlotte giggled, snuggling even closer to her mother as if she needed protection.

“Yeah, yeah,” Liam rolled his eyes, “you’re very smart indeed,” he groaned. “I’m not getting paid for anything and I still have to bake this stupid cake,”

“Mommy deserves this cake, daddy,” Charlotte informed him, “we want to make mommy and my sister happy, remember?”

“I’m starting to think this is about making a certain _five years old_ happy and not mommy or even your sister,” Liam looked at her suspiciously.

“It’s not like mommy is going to eat the _entire_ cake,”

“Well, I _am_ eating for two,” Fallon told her.

“You’re going to deny your daughter cake?” Charlotte looked at her with her teary puppy eyes. “You would do that, Mrs. Ridley?” She pouted. “Your sick daughter who just wants some cake...” she spoke dramatically.

“This is how I ended up at the kitchen to bake a cake after everyone from our staff has gone home,” Liam mentioned, “and apparently it’s how you’re going to end up without a single piece of the cake that was supposed to be yours in the first place,” he told his wife.

“Are you even sick or were you just faking that fever so we would let you skip school and stay home?” Fallon questioned.

“I would never do that,” Charlotte avoided looking at her mother’s eyes, “what would Harvard think if I skipped school just to stay home? You told me they're going to check my preschool records by the time I send my applications so I have to be a great student, even in preschool,” she told him, using his own words against him.

For some reason, Charlotte had already settled that she was going to Harvard when she got older and every time she complained about having to do homework or even waking up early to go to preschool, Fallon and Liam came up with an excuse of how that could threaten Harvard.

“I’m not sure what they would think, princess, but we’re going to find out if you were indeed faking that fever, little miss,” Liam teased her.

“I wanted to go to the hospital to see my sister but I couldn’t go because my fever was too high...” Charlotte told them. “I really _am_ sick, which is why I deserve cake,”

“Well, then why don’t you get those pink gloves of yours so you can start washing the dishes while daddy finishes the frosting and the cake?” Fallon suggested while placing Charlotte back on her feet.

“Can I have cake for dinner?” She asked before opening the bottom cabinet under the sink.

“No,” Fallon and Liam replied at the same time.

“I think my fever is coming back,” Charlotte rested her head against the small door as she sat down on the floor, “I feel so _weak_ ,” she murmured.

“It’s a great thing Carol cooked broccoli, carrots and zucchini for dinner,” Liam didn’t even bother to turn at her while she worked on her dramatic act. “They’re going to bring a lot of vitamins and nutrients to your body along with the chicken parm so I’m sure you will start feeling a lot better,”

“You shouldn’t have revealed your plan so soon, princess,” Fallon told her, “now he’s not going to fall for anything else,”

“Yeah,” Charlotte groaned, standing up while putting her gloves on. “I messed up this time,” she walked towards the table and held onto the bars of one of the chairs so she could pull it towards the sink, “but I will be more prepared next time, daddy!” She warned him as she climbed on the chair.

“I’m sure you will,” Liam laughed softly, handing her one of the dirty bowls, “now make sure these dishes are shining brightly,”

“I will, Mr. Ridley,” Charlotte informed him, “but you better make sure that cake is delicious,” she added while running the sponge around the bowl.

“Please, tell me we didn’t make another one of those,” Liam whispered while placing his hand over Fallon’s thirty weeks bump.

“Well, we know it’s a girl...” Fallon started, “and she does have our DNA so I’m gonna take a risk here and say the chances are pretty high,” she laughed.

“Oh god, what did I get myself into?” Liam groaned in complaint.

“Stop whining, daddy, we all know you asked mommy for another baby because I’m too awesome and you wanted another one,” Charlotte turned around to look at them after placing the clean bowl carefully on the dish rack. “Can you pass me the other bowl, please?” She extended her hand towards him.

“Charlotte! What kind of attitude is that? You should _not_ talk to your father like that,” Fallon spoke seriously, “it’s not nice,”

“I apologize, daddy,” Charlotte offered him a smile as he handed her the bowl, “I shouldn’t have said you were whining, I’m sorry,”

“I forgive you as long as you don’t say that ever again,”

“I won’t,” she shook her head, “sorry,”

“As awesome as you are, you gotta be more careful with what you say, okay?” Liam placed a kiss on the top of her head. “You’re also quite a trouble maker, princess,” he laughed lightly.

“I’m _five_ ,” Charlotte shrugged, “kids are supposed to be trouble,”

“Where do you even learn these things?” Liam asked confused. “Can you get the food from the fridge so I can heat it up?” He whispered at Fallon.

“Anders told me that when I broke a vase at the manor the other day,” Charlotte informed him, “he forgave me but made me promise never to play baseball inside the house ever again...” she explained. “Uncle Sam was not that lucky though because he’s a grown up and grown ups are not supposed to be trouble, just kids,”

“Did you know about this?” Liam turned towards Fallon, a surprised and shocked look on his face.

“If Anders told me everything that happens at the manor when Charlotte’s there, I would never agree to a second child,” Fallon laughed, placing the vegetables and the chicken parmesan on the counter.

“It was raining,” Charlotte continued, “it’s not like we could have gone outside to play,” she shrugged. “Grandpa was very forgiving, if you wanna know... he loves me, that man,” she smiled, “he says the manor is too quiet and boring when I’m not there,” she added. “Maybe I should pay him a visit tomorrow,”

Fallon and Liam exchanged glances, both shaking their heads at their daughter’s dramatic monologue as she washed the dishes.

“How was the appointment, babe?” Liam finally had a chance to ask his wife the question he had been meaning to ask ever since she walked into the kitchen.

“It was fine,” Fallon replied, placing the vegetables in a frying pan before handing it to Liam. “Everything looks good and she’s growing like she should. My blood pressure and heart rate are perfect and she was quite active today so we got to see her moving around and kicking a lot on the screen,” a wide smile appeared on her lips when she replayed the image of her baby girl moving during the ultrasound.

“We missed that?” Liam complained.

“She e-mailed me a copy of the video so you could watch it,” she told him, “so far everything is like it should be so we have nothing to worry about,”

“When is she coming out?” Charlotte asked.

“In about ten weeks, princess,”

“She’s taking forever to come out!” The five years old groaned. “What is she doing so much inside your belly that she can’t come out to meet her sister?”

“Your sister is growing, Charlie,” Liam spoke while reaching for a large spoon to stir the vegetables as Fallon put the chicken parmesan in the oven. “It takes a while for her to fully grow and be ready to live in the real world with us,” he explained. “You were inside mommy’s belly one day too,”

“I don’t remember that,”

“No one remembers that, princess,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh, “but she will be here to meet you very soon, okay?” Charlotte nodded. “After dinner we can all lie on mommy and daddy’s bed, put on a movie and you two can talk to her as much as you want so you can feel her kick too. How does that sound?” She looked between them.

“Perfect!” The five years old exclaimed.

“Please, tell me the doctor gave you a hard time about those heels,” Liam grabbed her arm gently so she would look at him and glanced down at her feet, a bit swollen but still quite persistent in the four inches stilettos. “I hate that you’re wearing this kind of shoes at this point in the pregnancy, Fallon, but you clearly won’t listen to me so you might as well listen to your doctor,”

“She did tell me to stick to flats from now on,” Fallon groaned, clearly not happy with the doctor’s suggestions even though she knew it was for her own good. She knew she wouldn’t be able to balance herself on those high heels as her due date approached. She had experienced that in her first pregnancy and the second one wouldn’t be any different.

“Eww, flats,” Charlotte frowned while scrunching her nose.

“Says the girl who has around fifty pairs of flats in her closet,” Liam commented.

“That’s because I’m a kid, daddy,” she told him, “and I can’t wear heels yet so I’m stuck with those boring shoes that are in no way as pretty as mommy’s stilettos,”

“And mommy needs to wear those boring shoes because your sister is getting big and mommy needs to be safe and comfortable,” Liam explained, “so we have to be supportive even when it comes to boring shoes, okay princess?”

“Of course, daddy,” Charlotte offered him a smile, “and I think we should take mom shoe shopping so she will at least have brand new designer flats to wear,”

“Oh I like the sound of that,” Fallon’s eyes sparkled immediately.

“You have thousands of shoes, Fallon,” Liam replied, “you don’t need new ones... in fact, _none_ of you need new shoes,”

“We have to buy new ones to be supportive, daddy,” Charlotte whispered at her father while walking past him to get to the table.

“Yes, daddy, you do,” Fallon spoke softly before turning towards him with puppy eyes and a pout on her lips.

“Those puppy eyes are not going to work,” Liam looked between his two girls. “Why don’t you go take your seats at the table and I will fix you two a plate?” He suggested.

“Okay,” the five years old ran towards the table, taking the seat she had claimed hers years back while Fallon sat down next to her. “I love when he spoils us,” she told her mother.

“Well, I’m starting to think we’re spoiling you _way_ too much, Miss Ridley,” Fallon teased her.

“That’s because you _love_ me way too much and you can’t say no to my pretty face,” Charlotte explained. “Why is mom’s food on my plate?” She asked confused when Liam set the Frozen ceramic plate on the table.

“I’m pretty sure that’s _your_ food, princess,” Fallon mentioned.

“One chicken, four broccoli and let’s not even start on this tiny, tiny portion of carrots and zucchini... are you kidding me, daddy?” Charlotte looked up at him. “Could you fix me a _real_ plate, daddy? Please?”

“How much more should I put on your plate, Miss Ridley?” Liam requested.

“You could start by doubling that portion,” she replied, “I can get more later,”

“I’m taking you to the doctor tomorrow to check that stomach of yours for tapeworms if you eat _all_ of this and then still want another portion,” Liam spoke while setting the plate with literally a mountain of food on it in front of his five years old.

“I’m a growing girl, daddy,” Charlotte said before taking one piece of carrot to her mouth, “I need all the food I can get and this is a very healthy dinner so it’s okay if I eat more than one portion,”

“Do you think there’s enough for your mother and I to eat or are you going to eat everything that Carol prepared?” Liam questioned.

“How much food do you still have there?” She had already eaten one entire chicken breast and Fallon and Liam hadn’t even _started_ eating.

“Six chicken breasts left and half of the vegetables,” he informed her.

“Yeah, I think it’s okay for you two to eat too,” Charlotte stepped her fork onto one of the zucchini thick slices then took it to her mouth. “I still have a cake to eat for dessert so it’s okay... my sister needs those vegetables too,”

“What about me?” Liam pouted as he walked back to the table with two fixed plates. “Don’t I need nutrients too?”

“You say that weird protein shake you drink every day has everything your body needs,” Charlotte shrugged, “I don’t see why you need to eat our food if that shake already gives you _all_ the nutrients,”

“I didn’t have my shake this morning because someone spiked a fever and I didn’t have time to work out,” he countered.

“Oh, that’s right...” She murmured. “Well, you’re eating now so it’s all good,” she shrugged, “but tomorrow I’m going to tell Carol she needs to start cooking bigger portions,”

“I’m gonna call her doctor and get her an appointment,” Fallon turned towards Liam as they ate, “just so we can be sure,”

“That’s probably a great idea,” Liam nodded, laughing when Charlotte put an entire broccoli in her mouth.

“Can we put marshmallows and M&M’s on the cake?” Charlotte looked between them.

“Focus on your dinner for now, princess,” Liam told her. “We can think about the cake once we’re all done with dinner, okay?”

“Can I please have more chicken?” She offered him her almost empty plate. There were still a few carrots and a broccoli but she had already eaten most of them.

“Make that call first thing in the morning and see if her doctor can see her in the afternoon, Fal,” Liam told his wife, “we might run out of food this weekend if we don’t check her stomach soon,” Fallon looked at Charlotte and couldn’t help but laugh as the five years old continued to stare at her father until he finally stood up and headed to the counter with her plate to get her another chicken. It was definitely going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it!!!
> 
> Let me know what you think!!!


	16. Charlotte's Capital

“I can’t believe Disney is making me lose money!” Charlotte exclaimed. “I buy all of their movies and their toys! Not to mention that we visit their parks at least twice a year! Their stocks should _not_ be falling,” she groaned.

“Honey, it’s normal for stocks to fall,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh. “There are a lot of other factors that influence the price of a stock, not just sales. This stock will give you a long term return so you just have to hold onto it,” she explained.

“I should probably buy more Apple,” Charlotte clicked on the stock’s candle graph. “They’re releasing the new iPhone soon so I believe we have a window of opportunity here,” she told Fallon.

“Your balance is only $43.78, princess,” Fallon placed her index finger on the nine year’s old screen, reminding her of the most important number of all.

Charlotte reached for a sheet of paper and a pen from the pink pencil holder on the center of Fallon’s desk and started writing.

“Okay so I bought Coca Cola at $53.80,” she wrote down the numbers, “and they’re $57.05 now then that means...” she bit on her bottom lip as she did the math, rapidly drawing numbers on the white sheet, “I can get a positive balance of $3.25 for each stock,” she said out loud. “I need $280 to buy another Apple so I need to make around $240 to complement what I already have,”

Fallon gasped when she saw how many numbers Charlotte had already scribbled down. She rambled what she could do with the stocks that had grown since she had bought them and suddenly the white sheet was covered in numbers. Fallon was just about to say something when Charlotte reached for her mother’s iPhone and went straight to the calculator app.

“This means I will get a 6% return if I sell Coca Cola and I’ve only had them for a month and a half so that looks alright,” Charlotte continued.

“How are you even doing this?” Fallon asked confused.

“Doing what?” Charlotte looked up at her.

“All that math,” Fallon gestured to the paper sheet in front of her daughter.

“I’m just checking how much I can get for each stock and if the return seems good for the amount of time I had it,” Charlotte explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“I know the _meaning_ behind it, I’m just asking how you’re doing math this fast and without any mistakes,” Fallon’s eyes were wide and she had ran through the numbers about ten times, trying to find at least one weird number in there but her math was flawless.

“You do it every night,” the nine years old still couldn’t understand what the problem was.

“I went to business school, Charlotte,” Fallon laughed. “You, my dear, are still in third grade,”

“Well, I’m almost in _fourth_ grade and I do stay with you every night while you work so...” Charlotte admitted. “You’re a lot better at teaching me math anyway,” she rolled her eyes.

“I’m sure your teacher is doing an excellent job at explaining math to your class, princess. You’re in one of the best private schools in the country so I’m pretty sure she’s an excellent teacher,”

“Miss Brown _is_ a great teacher, mom, but she only gives us boring exercises,”

“Clearly she isn’t aware of your brain,” Fallon grabbed the sheet and read it carefully. “Just like I clearly wasn’t either,”

Charlotte had gotten the current stock price and had subtracted the price she had paid from it, getting the gross value she would get in the operation.

“I still don’t know how to add the taxes but that should be a good proxy,” Charlotte rolled her eyes but Fallon could only look at her even more confused with what was just happening.

Returning to the analysis her nine years old had just created from scratch, she continued to check every single number.

Charlotte then divided the amount of money she needed for the Apple stock by the price she thought she could sell the Coca Cola stock, figuring out exactly how many stocks she would have to let go of in order to buy the one she wanted at that moment.

Fallon laughed when she noticed Charlotte had drawn an “X” over the result only to write “Sell 5” right next to it.

“You’re just going to sell Coca Cola to buy Apple?” Fallon questioned her when she was absolutely sure all the numbers added up.

Charlotte reached for the mouse and opened the Coca Cola graph.

“Their stock price increased 16% in value in a year,” Charlotte marked the two points on the curve with the cursor then did the same thing to the Apple stock. She already knew where everything was and how to access all kind of market data at the Bloomberg Terminal. “You see,” she typed the two dates she had used with Coca Cola then zoomed in on the graph, showing Fallon the percentage, “Apple had an increase of 28% at the exact same period,” she told her. “So I do believe it’s a great deal to trade them,” she concluded. “Unless you want to give me the money for Apple and I can keep both of them in my wallet,”

“I think I’m okay,” Fallon giggled, messing with the Charlotte’s hair. “I believe someone asked for the newest iPhone for her tenth birthday so I need to save my money to make sure I can get that gift by December 13th,”

“You’re rich, you don’t need to _save_ ,” Charlotte rolled her eyes, changing the screen to the stock broker and placed the order to sell five of her Coca Cola stocks, “but I’m going to let that slide because I really want that phone,”

“I could give you the money though,” Fallon decided to throw the bait just to see how she would react.

“I’m listening,” Charlotte turned towards her mother, her hand still on the mouse and the cursor less than an inch away from the “Send” button.

“You already have two Apple stock and you’re going to but the third right now,” Fallon started. “If you’re so confident they are going to go up when they launch the new devices in September then I can give you the money to buy this one and you can sell all of them near your birthday,” she explained. “This way you will have enough to buy the iPhone yourself,”

Charlotte stared at Fallon for a moment, Fallon focusing on her eyes as she stared right back at her daughter. Their poker faces were exactly the same so none of them could really read the other in order to see if there was any catch.

“Yeah but those two stocks I already have I bought with my allowance so if you give me the money right now, I will only get from you the $240 I still need for the stock,” Charlotte spoke slowly as she did the math carefully, hoping she would get lost in her speech. “If I sell my stocks and buy the third one then you won’t give me any money now but you will give me the iPhone for my birthday, which means that if I wait, you will give me the equivalent of a thousand dollars and I can just buy something else with my money,” she told her, “and a thousand definitely beats two hundred so...”

“Your dad is going to kill me,” Fallon ran her hand through her hair. “Oh my God, your dad is _definitely_ going to kill me,” she repeated, standing up from her chair when it finally hit her what she had done to her daughter.

Fallon started to pace around the room, trying to figure out what to do since she was finally realizing - for real - that she had taught her daughter how to operate the stock market and Charlotte was probably way better than she had ever been. She knew Charlotte was smart and curious, just like her, and they only checked the market together once a month. She didn’t want Charlotte to get addicted to the feeling or be too focused and anxious about the numbers that she didn’t do anything else, but her daughter had clearly been doing her research and studying.

Returning to her desk, she took a seat and pulled Charlotte to sit on her legs. Wrapping her arms around the nine years old stomach, she rested her chin on her shoulder.

“I think we’re good for tonight, princess,” Fallon told her.

“I just need to place the order to buy,” Charlotte replied, “two more minutes, I promise,”

“We need to close this before daddy gets home, Charlie,” she whispered in her ear.

They were a great team and ever since Charlotte was a baby, they would always protect each other and hold onto the other if they ever needed to feel safe and protected. It drove Liam crazy most of the time but, eventually, he just accepted that he had two of them at home.

* * *

“What’s going on here?” Liam walked into Fallon’s office only to find his wife and eldest daughter at the desk, staring at the laptop screen while Olivia sat across from them, kneeling on one of the chairs.

“Daddy!” The three years old exclaimed, her eyes sparkling in joy at her father. “They’re making secret money,” she reached for one of the sushi in front of her before throwing the salmon one inside her.

As Liam stepped further inside the room, he noticed Charlotte was the one with her hand on the wireless mouse and Fallon seemed to be doing nothing but watching her.

“Fallon, tell me she’s _not_ trading,” Liam threw her a serious look and Fallon hugged Charlotte tighter, using her daughter to protect herself from Liam. “Oh my god!” He exclaimed, staring at the boxes of Japanese food all over the desk. “Is this Wall Street?!”

“Wall Street is in New York, dad,” Charlotte rolled her eyes, “tonight we’re just in mommy’s office,”

Liam chose against walking around the desk to see what the two were up to when he noticed Olivia pushing herself up on the chair. All he could think about was that chair turning and his daughter falling face first on the floor so he rushed to her side to grab her but the blonde girl didn’t even mind his presence as she insisted on leaning over the desk to grab the tuna sashimi that was right in front of Fallon.

“Charlie’s going to be _rich_ ,” she carefully dipped the sashimi in the small soy sauce dish then carefully took it to her mouth with the chopsticks. “This is funny,” she laughed, still chewing on the piece of salmon, as she pressed the buttons on the financial calculator with her free hand.

“One, enter, one, plus!” Olivia let go of the calculator and threw her arms up in the air in excitement when the number two appeared on the small screen. “I did it, Charlie!”

“Fallon!” Liam screamed. The loud and angry tone in his voice got the three of them to stop what they were doing and turn to him. “Wasn’t I clear when I said I didn’t want Olivia involved in this?” He asked his wife.

“We’re having dinner, Liam,” Fallon shrugged.

“You were supposed to be downstairs, having dinner at the table with both of them like a normal family,” he countered.

“Ollie is _eating_ , dad,” Charlotte whispered, trying not to get too much of Olivia’s attention even though all three of them were staring at the youngest Ridley. “She’s eating on her _own_ ,”

“Olivia’s the main reason why you should be eating in the dining room,” Liam groaned. “Fallon, you know how important having a proper family meal is and that we’re not supposed to change location or even the time we have dinner,” he explained.

“I admit I might have been the one to suggest trading tonight,” the brunette started, “but while we were at it, Charlotte started talking about being as rich as we are and buying Olivia a pony and a giraffe and before we knew it, Olivia was eating,” she explained, “she literally reached for the chopsticks and started doing exactly what Charlie and I were doing,”

“We didn’t even have to bribe her to eat tonight, daddy,” Charlotte told him. “I think she really likes sushi because she’s probably eating more than me tonight,”

“I highly doubt that’s possible considering you eat more than this entire family together, princess,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh.

“Okay, that’s true,” the nine years old rolled her eyes, “but Ollie’s been eating _really_ well, daddy. Mommy ordered a lot of food and we’re almost all done,”

“She found that calculator in one of my drawers and she’s been playing with it for a while…” Fallon looked between the three years old and her husband. “I don’t think she even realized how much she ate while playing with the numbers,”

“We agreed that we would encourage book reading and not playing with calculators for Olivia,” he paced around the room, one hand running through his hair as he took a deep breath.

“She’s just playing, daddy. I swear we didn’t teach her anything about stocks,” Charlotte spoke up. “Besides, she seems more interested in the sushi than in all these numbers anyway,”

“That’s what your mother used to say when she took you to the office with her,” Liam told her. “Little did I know that she was going to turn you into a mini trader,”

“I think I turned out okay,” she smiled brightly.

“Yeah, I guess you did but I think that’s enough trading for tonight,” Liam walked around the desk, placed his hands on Charlotte’s waist and lifted her off Fallon’s chest, settling her on the right side of his body. “We’re going to your room right now because I want to check that geography homework you’re supposed to take to school tomorrow and also that hundred words French vocabulary list you promised me would be ready tonight,”

“I never break the promises I make you, daddy,”

“You know I always make sure Charlotte’s done her homework before I let her trade, babe” Fallon told him.

“Fal, is Liv _really_ eating? Even with the change of location?” He asked his wife while running a hand softly through Olivia’s dirty blonde hair.

“She is, babe,” she replied softly. “I was keeping an eye on her the whole time and believe me, I didn’t have to say anything to get her to eat,” she explained. “She just… ate,”

“That’s true, dad,” Charlotte spoke up. “See?” She pointed at her sister, who had just bent over the desk to reach for another sushi.

“Oh god, I’m so glad to hear that,” Liam smiled. “It’s probably the best news I’ve gotten all day…”

“It’s _one_ meal, Liam, let’s not get our hopes up too soon,” Fallon mentioned. “I got ice cream and chocolate lava cake on my way home. Go check Charlotte’s homework and we can all eat dessert together afterwards,”

“You think she will eat the cake?” He questioned. “She loves ice cream, yeah, but that’s pretty much the only dessert she eats,”

“Most of the time, ice cream is the only _food_ she eats, Liam,” Fallon countered. “Apparently tonight’s a good night so I’m going to try everything I can…”

“Well, if Charlotte did all of her homework like she says she did, then we won’t take long,” Liam told her. “Stay here with Olivia so we don’t disturb her meal and I will put the cakes in the oven when Charlie and I are done,”

“Make sure my money is safe, mom!” Charlotte exclaimed, looking over Liam’s shoulder as he walked towards the door before she threw Fallon a wink. “Carrington’s don’t lose money!”

“Carrington?” Liam questioned.

“ _Half_ Carrington?” She rephrased.

“Nice save,” he rolled his eyes, “but daddy’s still hurt,” he pouted.

“I love you, daddy,” Charlotte said softly as she wrapped both arms around Liam’s neck to snuggle against her father. “You know you’re my favorite man in the whole wide world and that I love you to the moon and back,” she kissed his cheek.

“That’s better,” Liam chuckled, giving her a wet and loud smack on the cheek, “but I believe you were just saying that dad’s not good with money?”

“Well,” Charlotte shrugged, “mommy _does_ control all of your finances. She once said you don’t even know how much money you make in a year…” she added. “How come you don’t know that, dad? How can you even tell if you had a good or bad year money wise if you don’t know that?” She asked, clearly shocked by his lack of knowledge about his own income.

“As you said it yourself,” Liam murmured, “your mom is the best so I’m sure my money is in good hands,” he told her.

“She is and I’m sure your money is just fine,” Charlotte spoke. “I’m just saying that maybe you should pay more attention to your investments. Like mommy and I do,” she offered him a wide smile.

“You’re _nine_ , Charlotte,” Liam shook his head, making a mental note to have a talk with his wife that night about their daughter’s interest towards money. “You should be worrying about _toys_ and not investments, princess,”

“How am I going to buy toys if I don’t invest wisely?” She asked.

“You do know you’re not really allowed to trade if you’re under 18, right?” He asked his daughter as they approached her bedroom.

“I am, actually,” she replied. “I just need a parent to open a custodial account for me,”

“And let me guess,” Liam paused, “your mother opened that account for you,” he rolled his eyes.

“Yes, she did,” Charlotte smiled brightly. “All the money has to go through her account anyway so I give her my money and she uses the money she has in the bank,” she explained. “Mom’s actually the one that controls my account, not me, but I can create my portfolio and choose the investments I want to have or the stocks I want to buy and sell,” she continued. “Even if I log into my account, I can’t really do anything without mom approving it,”

“Are you sure you want to be a business woman?” Liam asked, only to receive a confused frown from his eldest.

“What else would I be?” She questioned.

“I think you’d make one hell of a lawyer, actually,” he shrugged. “You always seem to have a counter argument or a sassy reply on the tip of your tongue when someone’s talking to you,”

“As far as I know, all they do is read long texts with big and impossible words and talk,” Charlotte told him. “I’m more of a numbers and talk kind of girl… not those big fancy words,”

“Who knows? You still have about ten years to decide anyway,” Liam placed Charlotte on her feet as soon as they walked into her bedroom then sat down on the edge of her fluffy bed. “But daddy wants to see that homework now,”

The nine years old headed to the wide delicate glass desk across the room and reached for the rolled poster paper and the red folder that were lying on top of it.

“Mom came home early today so she helped me draw the states,” Charlotte commented while Liam held the poster paper in front of him, analyzing the USA map divided by states.

“This looks really good, princess,” Liam offered her a smile. “Were you able to write down all of the state’s names by yourself?”

“Not all fifty,” Charlotte admitted. “I had to search some of them online but mom went over them and said they were all correct,”

“Yes, Charlotte, they are correct,” Liam let out a soft laugh. “The drawing is also very good. I think your teacher is going to be very proud of your work,”

“Thank you,” she smiled. “I spent _so_ much time on that,” she rolled her eyes.

“I know I can be hard on you when it comes to homework, princess, but it’s for your own good,” he ran one hand through her brown waves.

“I understand, dad,” Charlotte replied. “Mom was very strict about it today too because apparently this is only the first part of this project,” she told him. “Now that we’ve learned about all the states we have in our country, each student will get five states and we need to write at least ten important things about each one of them for our final grade,”

“Your homework turned out great and I’m sure you’re going to do an even better job with those five states, baby, but you also made quite a mess in here, didn’t you?” Liam looked around the room.

Her crayons and markers were all over the floor, her backpack was open by the ensuite’s door with things falling out of it, her school uniform was thrown over the 4 feet tall teddy bear sitting on the corner of the room and there were so many shoes scattered across the floor that he wondered where she had possibly gone that she couldn’t even decide on one pair of shoes.

“You were not supposed to see it,” she murmured.

“Your room is practically upside down, Charlotte. How was I not supposed to notice it?” Liam questioned. “Let me see that French vocabulary list,” he added. “If you got all of them right, I will help you organize this room after we eat those lava cakes mom got us, okay?” He suggested.

“All of them?” Charlotte’s eyes widened. “There are one hundred words in that list, dad!” She told him. “You could help me if I get at least seventy right,”

“Ninety,” he tried.

“Eighty,” she insisted.

“Eighty five,”

“Eighty _two_ and I will clean the sink in my bathroom myself,” she offered him her hand.

“Deal,” Liam smiled, shaking her hand. “Now where’s that vocabulary list, Miss Ridley?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this one, even with all the complicated financial slang in the beginning! I think it's even funnier to read Charlotte say all those things when you're not really used to this kind of talk.
> 
> Let me know what you think!!


	17. Welcome To The World, Baby Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Are you excited for Charlotte week? I hope you are because here's Day #1 story.

Check out this story's [**visual content**](https://ladysantebellum.tumblr.com/post/619755362303737856/%F0%9D%95%94%F0%9D%95%99%F0%9D%95%92%F0%9D%95%A3%F0%9D%95%9D%F0%9D%95%A0%F0%9D%95%A5%F0%9D%95%A5%F0%9D%95%96-%F0%9D%95%94%F0%9D%95%99%F0%9D%95%92%F0%9D%95%9D%F0%9D%95%9D%F0%9D%95%96%F0%9D%95%9F%F0%9D%95%98%F0%9D%95%96-day-one).

**.**

“Ahhh!” Fallon screamed when another contraction hit her. She closed her eyes shut and held onto Liam’s hand as tight as she could while she felt what was possible the worst pain she had ever felt.

“The epidural should kick in soon, Fallon,” one of the nurses informed her. “It takes about ten to fifteen minutes so keep taking deep breaths. Talking to your partner usually helps but if you feel like it’s making you more anxious, just try to lie back and relax...”

“I can’t do this, Liam,” she shook her head from one side to the other as a tear rolled down her cheeks. “Oh god! This hurts!”

“Of course you can, Fal,” Liam leaned forward, holding their joined hands against her chest as he rested his forehead on hers. “You’ve got this, babe,” he whispered while running his hand delicately through her hair.

“What if I can’t?” She questioned.

“That word doesn’t exist in your vocabulary, remember?” Liam teased, trying to ease down the pressure with a chuckle. “You’re amazing, Fallon, and this will only prove me that you’re even more amazing than I already think you are,”

“It hurts...” Fallon groaned.

“I know, I know,” Liam replied, “but I’m right here, babe. I’m right here,” he murmured before placing a kiss on her forehead. “I would do it for you if I could but unfortunately, that’s not possible,”

“Liam!” She grabbed his shirt and pulled him towards her, gripping tightly on the dark gray fabric while holding onto his hand when another contraction seemed to take over her body.

“Breath, Fallon,” he instructed. “Take your mind off the pain and breath...” Liam’s tone was quiet and gentle, providing her all the comfort she needed but he hated seeing her in so much pain and distress. “You can do this, Fal. I know you can,” hugging her, he placed another kiss on the top of her head, breathing in the scent of her cherry scented shampoo that he loved so much.

“Please, don’t make me go through this,” she cried.

“I’m afraid there’s no going back now, Fal,” he mentioned, “but as soon as this is over, we will have our little girl in our arms... isn’t that worth it?”

“I guess,” she murmured.

“Fallon, you’re already ten centimeters dilated,” Doctor Montgomery spoke while doing the final examination. “The epidural might offer you a rather painless delivery but you’re still going to feel the contractions,” she explained.

“It hurts so much!” She screamed again.

“Deep breaths, Fal,” Liam threw one arm around her shoulders, keeping their faces close together as her OB-GYN gave Fallon all the birth instructions.

“You’re going to feel the next contraction soon and I’m going to need you to push, Fallon,” the redhead doctor told her.

“Look, you’re one of the strongest women I know,” Liam spoke softly. “I know you can do this, babe,”

“Oh my god!” Fallon exclaimed.

“You have to push, Fallon!” Doctor Montgomery looked up from between her legs and offered her a look of encouragement.

“I can’t,” Fallon groaned, throwing her head back in both pain and frustration. “I can’t do this, Liam,” she turned towards her husband. The sweat on her face was even more evident and her hair was a mess but none of them could care less about it. What worried Liam the most, however, were the tears in her eyes and the constant sayings of how she couldn’t do it. “Ahhh! Oh my god!” She screamed without even realizing how close he was and how loud that must have sounded for him.

“Push, Fal, push,” Liam encouraged. “Come on, babe,” one of his hands was still playing with her hair while the other was trapped between both of hers as she tried to push. He hadn’t felt his fingers for a while and even Fallon’s knuckles were turning white due to how tight she was actually holding them.

“Okay, Fallon,” the doctor started. “Take deep breaths. Liam, try breathing with her before the next contraction starts,” she suggested. “As soon as you feel it, you push as hard as you can, Fallon. If you need to take another breath during the contraction or if you feel like it would give you more strength, then do it but I really need you to push harder, okay?”

“Why are we even doing this?” Fallon complained. “Why did you allow me to go through this freaking painful labor, Liam?” She said harshly as she glared at her husband.

“It was your choice!” Liam shrugged.

“Clearly, I wasn’t in my right mind!” She screamed. “These freaking hormones probably clouded my good and wise judgment and you were supposed to be the sane one! You were supposed to,” she paused mid-sentence when she began to feel the next contraction. “Ahh!” She screamed again, leaning her upper body forward so she could use all of her strength to push as Doctor Montgomery had instructed. “Oh my god!”

“I can see her head already, Fallon. Make sure you give me your best push when you feel the next contraction,” Doctor Montgomery told her.

“We’re never having sex again!” Fallon screamed, throwing him her angriest and most annoyed look as one of her hands flew to his hair. “I don’t care how hot you are or how good it is! You’re never getting anywhere near this body ever again! Are we clear?” She raged right at his face while pulling hard on his short strands.

“I think that’s what every woman is supposed to say at this time,” Liam let out a soft laugh that he instantly regretted when Fallon’s eyes met his.

“Are you trying to end this marriage right before our daughter comes to this world?” Fallon screamed, rolling her eyes as she wondered how she could possibly kill him while in such a vulnerable and painful position.

“Push, Fallon, you need to push!” Liam insisted after exchanging a quick glance with the doctor.

“I am pushing, Liam!” Fallon screamed. “I hate you so much! You have no idea!” She continued. “Why did you do this to me, you idiot?!”

“Come on, Fallon, we’re almost there!” Doctor Montgomery exclaimed.

“I can’t,” the brunette whined.

“Yes, you can, Fallon!” Liam spoke up. “She’s almost here, babe. Come on, keep pushing, you can do this, Fal,” he looked deeply into her eyes before crashing his lips on hers. “This is it, babe... our baby girl is almost here and she needs you to give one hard and final push. Can you do that for her?”

“Liam! Oh my god!” Fallon tightened the grip of her fingers on his hand as if his hand wasn’t numb enough already and closed her eyes. “Ahhh!” She screamed but before she could throw her body back against the mattress to admit defeat, she heard what was most definitely the most extraordinary sound she had ever heard in her entire life.

“Would you like to cut the cord, daddy?” The doctor asked.

“You did it, babe,” Liam kissed her lips passionately, covering her smile with his own before walking towards the doctor. “Oh Fallon, she’s so beautiful,” tears started streaming down his face as soon as he laid his eyes on his baby girl, still covered in blood and other body fluids.

“We’re just going to check, okay?” The nurse looked between them when she reached for the crying baby girl right after Liam cut the umbilical cord.

“I love you so much,” Liam whispered at Fallon, running his fingers gently down her sweaty cheeks.

“I love you too,” she smiled brightly at her husband before pulling him down for another kiss.

“Everything looks perfect,” the nurse spoke while walking towards them with their baby girl wrapped in a white blanket. “You did great, mommy,” she offered Fallon a smile before placing their daughter in her arms.

“She’s here,” Fallon turned towards Liam before allowing her own tears to fall. “Our baby girl is here,” she whispered softly, leaning forward to place a kiss on her forehead as she held her tightly against her chest.

“She is,” Liam ran his hand carefully over her head, gently touching her still wet and sticky brown hair, “and she looks like her mama,” he mentioned, “just as I wished for,”

“How do you even know that?” Fallon giggled. She still couldn’t understand how it was possible to feel so much joy and happiness but she just couldn’t stop smiling and crying and she definitely couldn’t take her eyes off her daughter.

“She has your nose,” Liam told her, “and lips,” he added. “I hope she has your eyes too,”

“I love her so much...” Fallon whispered.

“I love you both more than anything in this world,” Liam placed a quick kiss on his wife’s lips before leaning forward to kiss his daughter.

“Excuse me,” one of the nurses approached them. “Do we have a name?” She asked. “We need to take her to the nursery for more exams but we can add your last name to the bracelets if you still haven’t chosen,”

“Charlotte,” Fallon answered right away, giving her the name they had chosen months back.

“Beautiful name,” Doctor Montgomery offered them a smile.

“You choose the middle one,” Fallon told him. “From the final three,”

“Grace,” Liam blurted out without even thinking. It just felt right as he stared down at his newborn daughter. “I like all of them but Grace was your grandma’s middle name... it feels right,”

“Charlotte Grace Ridley,” Fallon looked at the nurse.

“I thought we were hyphening,” Liam frowned in confusion, his hand moving softly through Fallon’s messy hair as they both gazed down at Charlotte with loving eyes.

“It doesn’t feel right anymore...” Fallon admitted. “I will always be a Carrington and that name will always have a special meaning to me but we’re a family, babe,” she explained. “You and I...” she paused, “we were a happy married couple but Charlotte has just made us a family, Liam, a _real_ family,” she spoke between tears. “I changed my name when we got married for a reason, Liam. Ridley is our family name and it’s the last name she’s getting...”

“You really are one of a kind, you know that?” Liam shook his head, trying to at least control the tears that wouldn’t stop falling as he leaned in to kiss his wife. “I love you, Fal,”

“You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me, Liam,” Fallon smiled, “and now you’ve given me the next best thing,” she whispered while looking down at the baby girl in her arms. “I love you so much,”

“I can’t believe we have a daughter,” Liam murmured.

“We do,” Fallon giggled. “We’re parents, Liam,”

“Here’s to an amazing life with our baby girl, Fal,” he smiled before crashing his lips against hers while covering Fallon’s hand with his on their daughter’s back. It was the most thrilling and scariest moment they had ever experienced but they wouldn’t change a thing because they finally had their baby girl in their arms.

.

.

 **Prompt:** “Fallon giving birth and meeting Charlotte for the first time”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it! Let me know what you think!


	18. Girl's Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte Week - Day 2

Check out this story's [**visual content**](https://ladysantebellum.tumblr.com/post/619845107844317186/%F0%9D%95%94%F0%9D%95%99%F0%9D%95%92%F0%9D%95%A3%F0%9D%95%9D%F0%9D%95%A0%F0%9D%95%A5%F0%9D%95%A5%F0%9D%95%96-%F0%9D%95%94%F0%9D%95%99%F0%9D%95%92%F0%9D%95%9D%F0%9D%95%9D%F0%9D%95%96%F0%9D%95%9F%F0%9D%95%98%F0%9D%95%96-day-two).

**.**

“Eh eh!” Charlotte bounced in excitement as Fallon walked into the kitchen. She settled the one year old in the highchair before heading to the fridge.

“Daddy said he left us food before he left this morning,” Fallon told her.

“Wa wa,” Charlotte extended her arms towards Fallon, kicking her legs under the tray as she tried to get out of the highchair.

“I will get you some water, baby, there’s no need to fuss,” Fallon spoke softly, leaning forward to place a kiss on Charlotte’s head before reaching for the plastic sippy cup on the top cabinet. “There you go,” she closed the cup then handed it to her.

Opening the fridge, Fallon sighed in relief when she noticed most of the recipients in there had a small post-it from Liam on it. The yellow ones had F’s on it while the pink ones had C’s. When she found the ones Liam had labeled “Charlie’s dinner”, she reached for the four bowls and set them on the counter.

“Okay, Fallon, it can’t be _that_ hard,” she told herself as she read the instructions Liam had left near the house phone.

_Charlotte’s dinner:_

_1\. Reheat the potatoes and the turkey meatballs_

_2\. Sauté the spinach_

_3\. Slice one tomato (thin slices)_

_4\. Put everything on the pink plate and give it to her_

“Do you have any idea of what sauté the spinach means?” Fallon put the instructions down and glanced at Charlotte, who seemed a lot more interested in biting the ear of her stuffed Minnie.

“Dada!” Charlotte exclaimed, shaking the stuffed toy in front of her mother and Fallon couldn’t only sigh at the not so helpful answer while the one year old let out a loud but soft laugh.

“You watch your dad cook for you every day and you can’t even help mommy when she needs?” The brunette pouted, leaning towards the one year old. Charlotte dropped her Minnie on the tray and placed both hands on Fallon’s cheeks. “You’re lucky you’re this adorable,” she mentioned, giving her daughter an eskimo kiss while tickling her stomach.

“Why couldn’t he just leave the spinach ready?” Fallon complained as she opened the bottom cabinets in search for a frying pan. “He made the potatoes and the turkey... but no, he had to leave the spinach to your mom,” she rolled her eyes.

“Mama,” Charlotte offered her the empty cup. “Food!” She exclaimed.

“I know you’re hungry, princess,” Fallon placed the frying pan on the stove then walked towards her daughter to grab the sippy cup. “Do you want more water?” The baby girl shook her head as a huge pout appeared on her lips. “Juice?”

“Food, mama,” Charlotte insisted.

“Okay, okay,” Fallon set the sippy cup back on the counter before returning to the stove on the other side of the counter.

“Of course you can go, Liam,” she repeated the words she had told him the day before. “Charlie and I will be fine,” mocking her own words, she reached for the olive oil then turned on the fire.

“Mama, mama, mama!” Charlotte screamed, bouncing in the high chair while extending both her arms in front of her in an attempt of getting to the fruit bowl.

“Your dinner would be ready a lot faster if you helped me,” Fallon groaned, throwing the potatoes inside one small pan before doing the same with the turkey meatballs. “Mommy is doing the best she can, princess,” she added the spinach to the frying pan then glanced at her phone to keep reading the recipe she had found online.

“Should I add salt and pepper to this?” She looked at Charlotte even though she was probably not going to get an actual answer but she wasn’t exactly sure of how much seasoning Liam usually added to her food. “Well, it will probably taste like nothing if I don’t so I guess it won’t hurt you,”

“Mhmm!” The one year old murmured in excitement when the smell coming from the turkey meatball started filling the room.

“Well, if this spinach tastes bad at least you have your daddy’s food to keep you fed,” Fallon shrugged as she sliced the tomatoes. “I know daddy’s food is delicious but sometimes I wish you could eat take out so I wouldn’t have to stand in front of a stove,” she groaned.

Thankfully, it didn’t take long to reheat the food Liam had already prepared and for the spinach to be ready. Fallon noticed Charlotte’s eyes sparkling as she put the food in her plate.

“I hope you’re aware that your mother is a disaster in the kitchen,” Fallon walked around the counter then placed the plastic plate in front of her daughter. “I want what’s best for you so I’m doing what I can here but you better not tell anyone you saw me cook,”

Pulling one of the stools closer to the highchair, Fallon sat down while reaching for the small baby spoon on the counter.

“It’s hot, princess, so let’s start with a tiny portion, okay?” Fallon suggested, feeding Charlotte a piece of meatball with a small piece of potato. “Oh god, I forgot your bib!” She sighed when the one year old grabbed more pieces of turkey with her tiny hand and tried to put it all in her mouth, dropping almost all of them on her onesie.

“Eat, mama,” Charlotte offered her a piece of turkey that had ended up on the tray. Leaning forward and opening her mouth, Fallon allowed Charlotte to feed her the tiny piece.

“Mhmm, that’s good,” Fallon commented. “You want more?” She asked. “Voom voom,” Charlotte laughed at Fallon’s airplane noises, accepting the spoon her mother was moving in front of her face.

“Oh Charlie,” Fallon groaned when more food ended up on the baby girl’s body. “Well, you already got food all over your clothes so you might as well eat without the bib anyway,” she rolled her eyes. “We can take a well deserved bubble bath together after dinner. What do you say?” Charlotte offered her a bright smile before reaching for the spinach, grabbing the green vegetable in her tiny hand before taking it to her mouth.

“Eh eh!” She giggled, her mouth wide open as she waited for Fallon to feed her more food.

“It turned out okay, didn’t it?” Fallon tasted the spinach and Charlotte fussed when she noticed that spoonful of food wasn’t meant for her.

“Mama,” she complained.

“Well, it still tastes like nothing in my opinion but you’re eating it and that’s what matters,”

When Fallon noticed Charlotte was more entertained on grabbing the food herself, she set the spoon down and stood up from the stool to get her own dinner from the fridge. Charlotte was learning new words every day but listening to her babble incoherent things to herself while she ate was definitely one of Fallon’s favorite moments of the day.

Glancing at her daughter, she rolled her eyes when she saw Charlotte pushing the entire tomato slice in her mouth. They usually gave her some food at normal sizes instead of cutting it in tiny pieces so she could play with the food and even start recognizing some of its shapes during her meals. Charlotte was used to eating tomatoes almost every day but she always took small bites first and as soon as she started to chew on it, she opened her mouth and spit most of it when she noticed the slice didn’t exactly fit in her mouth.

“Small bites, Charlie,” Fallon ran a hand through her daughter’s hair. “I know you’re hungry but mommy is right here... I didn’t leave, I was just getting some food for myself, okay?” She told her. “Take your time. I don’t want you choking or throwing up, princess,”

“Mama, _hewe_ ,” Charlotte offered her mother a slice of tomato.

“You shouldn’t be giving mommy your food, baby,” Fallon laughed but still accepted the tomato. “Let’s get this plate clean and we will take that bowl of fresh strawberries that I know you’ve been staring at since we walked into the kitchen upstairs and we will eat them in mommy’s hot tub,” the one year old jumped on her seat at her mother’s idea before eating another piece of potato. “Very good, princess, keep that up while mommy reheats her own food, okay?” She spoke softly. “Then we will relax in the hot tub and cuddle in mommy’s bed with a Disney movie,” she smiled as she bent over to place a kiss on the top of her daughter’s head. “Daddy is away for the weekend so it’s only fair that we have a girl’s night, right?”

“Eh eh!” Charlotte exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air in excitement.

“It’s a date,” Fallon threw her a wink and Charlotte blushed before replying with a loud and adorable laugh.

.

.

 **Prompt:** “Fallon having to cook for Charlotte”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Light and fluffy chapter tonight featuring our favorite girls. Hope you liked! Let me know what you think!!


	19. The Science Project

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte Week - Day 3

“Fallon’s office,” Charlotte leaned back on the chair, putting her feet on Fallon’s desk as she answered the phone, “who am I speaking to?” She asked, settling one leg over the other.

_“Who is this? I would like to speak to Fallon, please,”_

“This is Charlotte, her executive assistant,” the nine years old rolled her eyes, “she’s at a meeting right now but I can give her your message if you'd like to leave one,”

_“You sound like a child,”_

“I’m a little _busy_ here, Sir. These financial reports are not gonna get done by themselves,” Charlotte tapped the back of the pen anxiously against her thigh. “So... would you like me to give her a message or not?”

_“Just tell her that I sent a cover design proposal to her e-mail and I need her response as soon as possible,”_

“Is there anything else I can do for you today, Sir?” Charlotte asked.

_“That will be all,”_

“We will prioritize your request and you should get a reply in the next two or three hours,” Charlotte wrote down the message on a post it and glued it to her mother’s laptop, “I hope you have a nice day,” she said before hanging up.

“Oh no, _another_ call?” Charlotte groaned when the iPhone started vibrating on the desk.

There were so many paper sheets and folders on it that it took her almost a minute to find the device only to see her father’s face on the screen.

“Hi daddy,” Charlotte smiled as she accepted the call.

 _“Charlie, hi,”_ Liam replied, _“where’s your mom?”_

“At a meeting, why?”

 _“Are you at the office?”_ He asked.

“Yes and I still have a financial report to finish tonight so be quick, daddy,”

 _“What financial report, Charlotte?”_ Liam asked in surprise. _“Don’t you have homework? You know... from school? Perhaps a fourth grade homework and not a company’s financial report?”_

“I might have a science project to do...” Charlotte admitted.

 _“Please give the phone to your mother, Charlotte,”_ Liam requested, his tone serious.

“Daddy, she’s at a meeting. I can’t just walk in there!” Charlotte told him. “I’m wearing my school uniform! That’s not the company dress code!” She exclaimed. “I don’t even have my suit jacket today... I can’t walk into a business meeting in a white shirt and plaid skirt,” she shook her head, “I mean, it’s Burberry and all but I still don’t think it’s CEO’s meeting appropriate,”

 _“Charlotte Grace Ridley, I want you to stop doing whatever you’re doing for your mother and go do your homework,”_ Liam spoke seriously. _“I am not joking and I am not happy with your behavior,”_ he told her. _“I understand you liked to work with your mom during summer but you have school now and that’s your priority. Are you going to be a good girl and do it yourself or do I need to get the jet ready and fly back to Atlanta?”_

“I’m sorry,” Charlotte spoke softly, “I know this writing thing in Germany is important. I will go get my science book,”

_“I want photos of that project and I want your mother to call me as soon as she gets back,”_

“I will give her the message, daddy,” Charlotte replied all disappointed and frustrated by the hard lesson she had just gotten.

* * *

“What are you doing on the floor?” Fallon asked when she walked into the office and found Charlotte lying on her stomach, reading her science book while moving her legs back and forth up in the air.

“Your husband fired me,” Charlotte didn’t even look at her, “I know he has half of the shares but you’re still the one in charge of personnel,”

“My _husband_?” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh at her choice of word. “What happened, baby?”

“He said I can’t work unless I finish my homework,”

“He’s right, princess,” Fallon walked around her desk and sat down on the chair. “We agreed to let you keep coming here after school a couple of days a week because you promised us that wouldn’t affect your school work. I know you loved working with me during your summer vacation and that you really enjoy being here but school is more important than anything else, Charlotte,” her tone was serious.

“I _know_ it is, mom! I just wasn’t in the mood for homework at _that_ specific moment, that’s all,” the nine years old shrugged, “but daddy managed to catch me at a bad time,” she told her mother, “and he said I have to do my homework and send him pictures to prove him that I did it,”

“Mommy still has a few e-mails to reply before we can go home so why don’t you focus on that homework of yours?” Fallon suggested. “Hopefully you will be done soon and you’ll be able to play with your sister or watch a movie when we get home,”

“It’s not that easy, mom,” Charlotte groaned, “I have to do the solar system with Styrofoam balls and I currently don’t _have_ any Styrofoam balls so I’m going to take a guess here and say that daddy is going to _kill_ me because I’m not sending him those pictures,”

Fallon laughed at her daughter’s dramatic explanation while rounding her desk to get to her chair.

“Then what are you doing on the floor with your science book?” She asked.

“Making notes to know how many balls I need in each size and then the colors that I’m supposed to paint every planet,” Charlotte told her, “ugh, I _hate_ science!”

“I’m sure he will understand if you send him your notes,” Fallon told her.

“I can hear his voice in my head, mom,” Charlotte pushed herself up from the floor and walked towards her mother’s desk, sitting on one of the chairs opposite from her. “You should have asked your mom to buy the Styrofoam balls right after she picked you up from school instead of going straight to the company’s financials, Charlotte,” she spoke in a rough voice so it would sound like her father’s voice. “I’m in _trouble_ , mom! Deep, _deep_ trouble!” She turned towards Fallon with a horrified look on her face, her eyes wide in panic. “He wants you to call him, by the way, so just remind him how incredible your eldest daughter is otherwise I only have a few days left to live,”

“I will make sure you’re safe, alright?” She shook her head as she unlocked her laptop, chuckling at her daughter’s flair for the dramatic. “You know daddy wants only what’s best for you so I’m sure you can understand why he’s so strict with homework, princess,”

“Yeah, I know,” she mumbled. “I just hate science, that’s all,”

“It’s impossible to like all the subjects, Charlie,” Fallon spoke softly, “but you need to learn about all of them before you’re old enough to decide in which ones you’re going to focus...”

“When is that?” Charlotte asked.

“At least a decade, baby,”

“Oh no,” she groaned in frustration.

“I might need one hour, Charlotte,” Fallon mentioned when she noticed the amount of e-mails she needed to reply before heading home. “Why don’t you ask Allison if she can help you buy those Styrofoam balls?” She suggested. “It’s not like I know where we’re even supposed to buy that kind of stuff anyway so you might as well go straight to her,”

“Fine,” Charlotte sighed. “Allison!” She screamed, exactly like her mother used to do, while heading towards the door. “We have a school emergency!”

.

.

 **Prompt:** “How strict Fallon and Liam are with school/homework”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it!! Let me know what you think!!


	20. I'm A Big Girl Now!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte Week - Day 4

“Charlotte, why are you taking so long?” Liam walked into her bedroom after having waited almost fifteen minutes for her to join them for breakfast.

The six years old was sitting on the light pink footstool in the middle of her walk in closet wearing nothing but her dark gray underwear. Her hair was still wet from the shower and the brown waves were falling softly down her shoulders.

“What’s wrong, princess?” He kneeled down in front of her as soon as he noticed the pout on her lips. “I thought you were excited to start first grade today,”

“I can’t go anymore, daddy,” Charlotte murmured, moving her legs back and forth in front of her as she stared down at her feet.

“Last night you couldn’t wait to go to bed because you wanted today to arrive faster,” Liam mentioned. “What happened in the past few hours that you’ve changed your mind?”

“I wasn’t aware I would have to wear that!” Charlotte pointed at the outfit Fallon had hung on the wall earlier that morning.

The white shirt was perfectly ironed, hanging right above the plaid pleated dark blue skirt. The plain matching blue blazer was right next to the outfit and Fallon had even left two options of hair bows next to it for her to choose.

“It’s a cute outfit, princess,” Liam giggled. “I’m sure you’re going to look beautiful in it,”

“The school logo is embroidered on the jacket, daddy,” Charlotte told him. “That means every single student will be wearing that exact same outfit and that’s just… no,” she jumped off the footstool and started pacing around the room. “That doesn’t work, daddy. I can’t live like this,”

“It’s a school uniform, princess,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh at her sudden panic over the choice of outfit. “Your school requests that everyone wears it,”

“Why do you have to send me to a school with such a terrible rule?” She questioned. “Mom buys me amazing new outfits every week… my current wardrobe is perfectly fine, thank you very much,” she murmured. “I would like a school that accepts my own choice of clothes, daddy, please,”

“You’re going to the best private school in Georgia, Charlotte,” Liam informed her. “It’s one of the best schools in the whole country, as a matter of fact, and your mom and I chose it when you were six months old,”

“I’m almost seven now, which means that school is very outdated,” Charlotte groaned.

“It remains on the top ten private schools in America, princess,” he couldn’t help but chuckle at her response.

“That’s just a minor detail,” she rolled her eyes and suddenly all Liam could see was his wife all over the six years old. “How am I supposed to spend hours in a place where everyone is wearing that exact same outfit, dad?”

“It’s a school, Charlotte, not Fashion Week,”

“I’ve never been to a Fashion Week,” Charlotte commented.

“I understand the uniform is not exactly what you would choose but it’s still a school requirement so you have to wear it,” Liam explained. “We’re going to put one of those beautiful bows on your hair and you can choose one of your prettiest shoes,”

“How considerate of them to let me choose my own shoes,”

“I swear that sometimes you speak every single word _exactly_ like your mom does,” Liam rolled his eyes as he helped Charlotte dress into the uniform. “You can choose flats today but you have to wear sneakers when it’s gym day,”

“Can I wear my Chanel flats then?” She asked. “They’re pretty and shinny and it’s probably the only thing that’s going to save this outfit,” she spoke as she stared at herself in the full body mirror in the corner of the closet.

“Yes, princess,” Liam let out a soft laugh. “Now choose one of the bows so I can get your hair done… you still need to have breakfast and brush your teeth and we only have half an hour before we need to leave,”

“Okay, okay,” Charlotte mumbled. “I think the dark red one will look better with the uniform,”

“Should I get the Olaf backpack?” He asked.

“That’s a baby’s backpack, daddy,” she replied nonchalantly. “I can’t use it anymore,”

“What?” Liam exclaimed, a bit surprise with his daughter’s response. “That’s your favorite backpack, Charlie. You’ve been carrying that around ever since you were one year old,”

“We had a great time together, yeah,” Charlotte spoke softly, “but I gave it to Ollie last week when mom got me a new one…” she told him. “I’m sure she will take very good care of Olaf because she seemed to love it,”

“I suppose mom got you a big girl backpack for school then?” Liam asked.

“Yeah. It’s pink and has glitter all over it,”

“I’m sure it’s the prettiest backpack,” he rolled his eyes playfully. “Sit down,” he gestured at the footstool, “let’s get this hair done so we can go downstairs,”

* * *

“Bye Molly! Bye Oliver!” Charlotte waved the two kids goodbye before walking out of the gate.

“Hi Mr. Ridley!” Molly screamed, greeting her best friend’s father him with a bright smile.

“Hey Molly!” Liam replied. “Hi princess,” he spoke, running his hand softly through her hair as Charlotte hugged him.

“See you guys tomorrow!” Charlotte exclaimed at them before turning her attention back to her father.

“I see your first day went well,” he started. “Even though you’re all wearing the same outfit,”

“Yeah, it was a great day,” she reached for his hand, locking her fingers in his so they could walk to the car. “I hadn’t seen Molly in almost a month because we only got back from France last week and we also met Oliver, he seems like a nice boy,”

“I’m happy you’re making new friends,” Liam mentioned as they approached the black BMW. “You and Molly are inseparable but it’s always good to have more friends,” he opened the door and helped her climb onto the backseat.

“Molly and I sat together, _obviously_ ,” Charlotte spoke as he started the car, “but Oliver sat right behind us and we talked a lot,”

“You’re not really supposed to talk to your friends during class, princess,” Liam looked at her through the rearview mirror.

“Since it was everyone’s first day at this school, our teacher encouraged us to talk to each other so we could get to know our classmates better,” she explained.

“Did you like the school? Your teacher?” Liam questioned. “Can you handle wearing the same kind of outfit every day or should I start looking for other schools?”

“I didn’t get to see much of the school today but my teacher said she’s going to take us around the entire campus this week,” she told him. “And Molly is here so yeah, I think I’m going to stick with this school,”

“Well, since you had such a great day… what do you say we stop for ice cream on our way home? At your favorite place?” Liam suggested.

“Yes!” Charlotte threw her arms up in the air in excitement.

“Olivia was napping when I left and your mom’s having a busy day at work so she will be home late tonight. We deserve some daddy and daughter time, right?”

“We sure do,” she replied. “With lots and lots of ice cream,”

“Perfect,” he smiled.

“I think I’m going to get a sundae,” Charlotte murmured to herself. “Oh, maybe a banana split as well!” She added. “I also want extra whipped cream and colorful sprinkles… maybe extra cherries too, they are simply to die for when mixed with chocolate and whipped cream,”

“Just remember we’re having dinner in a couple of hours, Charlotte,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh at her ice cream choices. They were still a couple of miles from the ice cream shop and she was already planning what she was going to order.

“That’s fine,” she shrugged. “I’m going to need some savory food after all that sweet… what are we having tonight? I heard Carol talking about a lasagna this morning,”

“Yeah, Carol made lasagna, princess,” he chuckled. “I think she made a bolognese one with my tomato sauce and a spinach and brie one,”

“Oh, I think I will have one of each,” Charlotte ran her tongue over her top lip.

“Maybe you should order only one ice cream then?” Liam suggested.

“No, there’s no need,” she replied. “Dinner is only in a couple of hours anyway… I could use a sundae _and_ a banana split this afternoon, daddy,”

.

.

 **Prompt:** “First day of [big kids] school”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special chapter featuring only Charlotte and Liam for a change. Hope you enjoyed it!! Let me know what you think!


	21. Hello, Summer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte Week - Day 5

Check out this story's [**visual content**](https://ladysantebellum.tumblr.com/post/620117939161530368/%F0%9D%95%94%F0%9D%95%99%F0%9D%95%92%F0%9D%95%A3%F0%9D%95%9D%F0%9D%95%A0%F0%9D%95%A5%F0%9D%95%A5%F0%9D%95%96-%F0%9D%95%94%F0%9D%95%99%F0%9D%95%92%F0%9D%95%9D%F0%9D%95%9D%F0%9D%95%96%F0%9D%95%9F%F0%9D%95%98%F0%9D%95%96-day-five).

**.**

“Liam, stop throwing my daughter up in the air like that!” Fallon screamed, placing her empty cocktail glass on the small table next to her pool chair so she could turn towards them.

Liam was in the water with both girls but while Charlotte seemed to be focused on swimming from one end of the pool to the other, showing her parents the latest tricks she had learned during her swimming lessons, Olivia was having the time of her life while Liam threw her up in the air.

“Olivia’s having so much fun, Fal,” Liam replied. “Right, pumpkin?” He giggled at the one year old. Wrapping his arm around her, he settled her against the right side of his body so he could show Fallon how much she was laughing.

“I just don’t want my one year old daughter to fall like a potato sack against the water if you can’t catch her,” Fallon spoke as she stood up from the chair.

“Which is why I’m not dropping her,” Liam rolled his eyes as his wife walked towards the bar cart to fix herself another Southside.

“Liam Ridley!” She screamed again when she noticed Olivia with her arms and legs wide open up in the air.

“See? Safe and sound in daddy’s arms,” he placed a loud kiss on his youngest daughter’s cheek as soon as she fell into his arms, her feet hitting the water as he wrapped his arms safely around her torso.

“Olivia drank an entire bottle of strawberry and ginger juice not too long ago,” Fallon mentioned. “I hope she throws up all over you so you can learn not to do that ever again,” she murmured while pouring a shot of gin into the silver cocktail shaker.

“Mom!” Charlotte screamed when she finally emerged from the bottom of the pool. “Can you make me one?”

“What?” Fallon and Liam asked at the same time, both turning towards their six years old daughter with wide eyes and confused looks on their faces.

“Without the alcohol, _obviously_ ,” she replied nonchalantly, rolling her eyes at her parents. “I know that I’m not allowed to have alcohol until I’m twenty one,”

“I believe I said thirty when we talked about that,” Liam reminded her.

“The law says people are allowed to legally drink once they turn twenty one, daddy,” Charlotte countered.

“I thought thirty years old was when they were finally allowed to date,” Fallon looked between them.

“Date _and_ drink,”

“Come on, we’re in France!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Swimming at this incredible pool at our brand new house in Provence!” She threw her arms up in the air, splashing water all over her mother. “I deserve a drink to help with the hot weather too, perhaps a virgin Piña Colada?”

“You could make me a drink too,” Liam suggested.

“Do I look like a bartender, by any chance?” Fallon groaned as she took a sip of her Southside.

“You didn’t want to swim with us…” The six years old shrugged. “It’s only fair that you do us that favor since you’re the only one out of the pool,” she reasoned.

“You’ve been inside that pool for almost two hours now, Miss Ridley,” Fallon mentioned. “I would like you to come out for a little while so you can apply more sunscreen to your body, _specially_ your face,”

“Can I practice a few more backflips?” Charlotte asked.

“Two more and then you’re getting that sunscreen like your mother just requested, princess,” Liam told her.

“Ollie is clearly having a good time,” she glanced at her sister. Liam had placed her in the unicorn float and she had been kicking her legs and shaking her arms so much she was already in the middle of the enormous pool.

“I don’t think we can say the same thing for Daisy,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh at the gray bulldog in the white swam float, staring at him with a bored look.

“I told you not to put the dog in the water,” Fallon replied.

“Can I help, mommy?” Charlotte pulled herself up against the border of the pool before approaching Fallon by the bar cart.

“Of course, princess,” she offered her daughter a smile, “but please go apply the sunscreen to your body first,”

“Daddy, what kind of drink shall I make you?” She asked while reaching for her pink towel.

“A Piña Colada is fine, Charlie,” Liam responded. “Just make sure mine has rum in it,” he laughed.

“Perfect!” Charlotte exclaimed. “I will handle the coconut milk and the pineapple juice and mom will take care of the alcohol,” she told him.

“FPS 100 on your face, princess,” Fallon spoke when Charlotte started applying the FPS 50 sunscreen to her body. “It’s the small bottle next to my hat,”

 _“Winter's a good time to stay in and cuddle,”_ she sang while rubbing her palm against her arm, making sure she didn’t miss a single spot, _“but put me in summer and I'll be a,” she paused dramatically, “happy snowman!” She screamed._

“Do you think we will ever be free of Frozen?” Liam turned towards his wife.

 _“When life gets rough, I like to hold on to my dream,”_ Charlotte swayed her hips and shook her butt as she kept singing one of her favorite songs from her favorite character. _“Of relaxing in the summer sun, just lettin' off steam...”_ She raised the small sunscreen bottle to her mouth, using it as a microphone before squeezing some of the sunscreen onto her palm.

“I sure hope we do,” Fallon shrugged as she sat down on the pool border, “but this passion has been going on for what? Five years?” A chill ran through her body when her feet hit the water.

 _“Oh the sky would be blue, and you guys will be there too,”_ the younger brunette continued while she rubbed one hand against the other to spread the sunscreen. _“When I finally do what frozen things do in summer!”_ She exclaimed before placing one palm on each of her cheeks.

“I doubt it’s going away anytime soon,” Fallon turned around and could only shake her head at their daughter’s music performance.

“I’m ready, mom!” Charlotte announced. “Can we make the drinks now?”

“Yes, just hand me the sunscreen so daddy can apply some on Olivia,” she requested. “The small one, princess,” she pointed at the SPF 100 sunscreen bottle when Charlotte showed them both.

“Are you sure she needs more, Fallon?” Liam frowned. “She’s wearing a hat and everything,”

“Her skin is too soft and perfect to be damaged by this incredibly hot sun, Liam,” Fallon stood up from the floor, leaving her drink right beside the pool so she could help Charlotte make the drinks. “If you don’t to listen to me about how to take proper skin care, that’s up to you... but when it comes to our girls, you have to apply as much sunscreen as I say so,” she stated. “You’re already turning into a tomato under this afternoon sun because you think your wife is overreacting about the importance of sunscreen but I don’t want my baby girl to get a sunburn,”

“Can I have a fun glass too?” Charlotte pointed towards the cocktail glass.

“Only if you promise to be careful and not drop it on the floor,” Fallon replied.

“I promise!”

“Okay, pour some of the pineapple juice in the glass,” she reached for the glass to keep it still while Charlotte lifted the juice jar. “You like it when it tastes more like pineapple than coconut so you can pour a little bit more,” she instructed when the younger brunette stopped halfway through glass. “That’s perfect. Now get the coconut milk so you can add it to the juice,”

“I don’t want it to taste so sweet,” Charlotte informed her mother.

“Then go easy on the milk,”

“I think that’s good,” she set the bottle of milk down on the cart.

“Taste it,” Fallon reached for one of the funny straws and put it inside her glass.

“I like it!” The six years old exclaimed.

“Good, now let’s make daddy’s,” she spoke as she reached for the clean cocktail shaker since she knew how much Liam hated when she made him drinks in the same shaker she used for her extra mint Southside’s. “He likes it sweet so we should add a little more coconut milk than we added in yours, okay?”

“Pineapple juice,” Charlotte murmured, biting on her bottom lip as she carefully poured the juice into the shaker. “Coconut milk,” she continued. “Should we add sugar too? To make it extra sweet?”

“No, daddy hasn’t been working out a lot lately so let’s not give him too much sugar,” Fallon whispered at her daughter.

“We’re on vacation, mom. He works out every single day at home so I think he’s allowed to take some time off, no matter how much you love his abs,” she took the yellow straw to her mouth and took a large sip of her juice.

“Charlotte Grace! Where did you learn that?” Fallon’s eyes widened in shock.

“You always tell him how much you enjoy the view when he’s not wearing a shirt...” Charlotte shrugged. “You shouldn’t be saying that out loud if you wanted it to be a secret, mom,”

“Yeah, maybe I should be more careful with what I say because you’re getting too smart, aren’t you?” Fallon chuckled while removing the tap of the rum bottle.

“I’ve always been smart,” she rolled her eyes. “the difference is that now I know how to use that in my own favor,” she threw her mother a wink.

“Do you want to shake it?”

“Yes!” Charlotte waited for Fallon to close the shaker then took it from her mother’s hands, shaking it as fast as she could while moving her body in a funny way. “Daddy, do you want a funny straw too? Or a boring one like mom’s?” She screamed.

“I want one like yours, princess! With lots and lots of loops,” Liam answered. “Do you have a blue one?”

“We do!” She exclaimed. “Blue one with lots of loops coming right up,” she added the funny straw to his glass then held it carefully with both hands so she could give it to him.

“I can’t taste it but I hope it’s good,” Charlotte offered him a smile as she handed him the glass.

“Thank you,” Liam reached for the glass and immediately took a sip of the refreshing drink. “Mhmm, it tastes pretty good, princess,”

“I’m glad,” she spoke before rushing towards the bar cart to get her own glass.

“Are you coming back to the pool, Charlotte?” Fallon asked as she slid off the border until she was inside the pool.

“In a moment,” Charlotte replied as she approached the beach chair Fallon had been lying on not too long ago.

“So you’re a pool person now?” Liam teased, placing his free hand on her lower back so he could pull her in for a kiss.

“This country is too damn hot,” Fallon groaned.

“Of course, blame France,” he couldn’t help but laugh at her response. “Until this morning this was one of your favorite countries in the whole world,”

“Just don’t get used to it,”

“Is this one the new issue, mom?” Charlotte reached for the Vogue Paris magazine.

“Yes, princess, it just came out,” Fallon glanced at her before turning back towards her husband, throwing her arms around his neck as she crashed her lips against his. “It’s in French though,”

“No problem,” Charlotte shrugged. “Oh yes,” she murmured in excitement as she sat down on the chair. Taking Fallon’s brand new black Saint Laurent sunglasses from the table beside her, she placed it on her face before reaching for her mother’s large summer hat to protect herself from the hot sun. “Oh boy, I just _love_ France,” she spoke to herself, leaning against the back of the chair as she placed one leg above the other. “I feel like I’m living the dream,” she took a sip of her juice before opening the fashion magazine. “Let’s see what I should expect for the winter collection of my favorite designers while I get a beautiful summer tan,”

.

.

 **Prompt:** “Family day in the pool”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! Let me know what you think!!


	22. Big Sister

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte Week - Day 6

Fallon and Liam were lying on the couch, her back against him and his arms wrapped around her stomach as they watched an action movie that he had chosen. Admittedly, Fallon wasn’t exactly paying attention to the screen. All she wanted was to relax with her husband by the fireplace during that incredibly cold Tuesday afternoon.

Blake had offered to pick up Charlotte from kindergarten the day before so his daughter and son-in-law could go out and enjoy a romantic dinner without their five years old for Fallon’s birthday. Apparently, turning 35 years old was something worth celebrating even on a Monday night so Blake insisted they let his granddaughter sleep over at the manor. He promised to tuck her in at nine o’clock sharp and then to drop her off the next morning at least fifteen minutes before her class started.

Although Fallon and Liam didn’t really like to mess with her routine on school’s nights but they both knew how much Charlotte loved going to the manor so they figured it would be nice to go out and celebrate just the two of them. However, what they didn’t expect was to miss their reservation at Fallon’s favorite French restaurant, only to stay home the warmest pajamas they owned while eating salty crackers and drinking endless glasses of coconut water in bed.

“Hugging the toilet almost all night long wasn’t exactly my idea of a fun birthday but I’m glad Charlie was at the manor last night...” Fallon spoke up, snuggling even closer to him as she pulled the dark blue fleece blanket up to her chin.

“Well, holding your hair back while you threw up everything you had in your stomach wasn’t in my plans either,” Liam chuckled. “It’s okay though... at least Charlotte wasn’t here and I was able to focus on you entirely,” he ran his hand softly through her hair, swirling her long brown waves around his fingers in a comforting and soothing gesture.

Fallon had barely slept that night and not even the nap she took between the hours of five and eight in the morning were enough to make her feel better. When she threw up the little food she had managed to eat for breakfast, she knew she wasn’t going to work that day, no matter how much she tried.

“I definitely did not miss this part about being pregnant,” Fallon groaned.

“Is the nausea back?” Liam asked. Adjusting himself on the couch, he turned his body away from the wide screen on the opposite side of their TV room and looked at into her eyes while sliding his hand under the loose blouse she was wearing.

“No, not now,” she replied. “I’m actually a bit hungry but I’m worried I’m just going to rush back to the bathroom if I eat something,”

“Why are you doing this to mommy, baby?” Liam spoke in a soft tone as he caressed her stomach, running his fingers delicately over her skin. “She’s taking such good care of you…”

“It’s that _hyperemesis gravidarum_ thing, Liam,” Fallon leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes as she enjoyed Liam’s gentle touch. “It’s not serious and it’s manageable but that means it’s normal for me to experience killer morning sickness,” she reminded him. “Women usually feel morning sickness until the fourteenth week but it wouldn’t be weird for me to feel it throughout the whole pregnancy with this condition,”

“I know, I know,” he rolled his eyes. “I remember how freaked out we were when we found out about it during Charlotte’s pregnancy,”

“It got better around week twenty six and they say the second pregnancy should be easier so all I can do is hope this one will go away soon,”

“You were also a bit dehydrated for a few weeks back when you were carrying Charlotte and I really don’t want to go through that again,” Liam mentioned. “What do you say we get up and head to the kitchen? Maggie should be arriving with Charlotte soon and I have no doubt our daughter will ask for dinner before she even walks through the front door,” he chuckled.

“We need to tell Charlotte, by the way,” Fallon groaned when she felt Liam starting to move behind her so he could stand up. “I’m already twelve weeks along and I don’t think I can keep throwing up without her noticing,” she told him. “I know you want to keep this between us for a while… at least until we’re in the safe zone but I think we could tell her,”

“I still can’t believe we managed to hide this from her at Christmas,” Liam giggled, offering his hand out for her to pull her up.

“First, your sister shows up and takes her on a surprise birthday trip,” Fallon started. “Then we throw her a Christmas themed birthday party at the cabin and the weekend later it was _actually_ Christmas,” she recalled. “Not to mention the fact that you gave her that huge Disney Lego that she hasn’t even finished yet… it’s been a busy month for our girl,” she couldn’t help but laugh.

“Well, this baby is still the best Christmas gift you’ve ever given me,” Liam sat back down on the couch as soon as Fallon stood up and pulled her blouse up so he could kiss her stomach. “It’s a shame you’ll never be able to top this one though,” he murmured as he placed soft kisses all over her barely noticeable baby bump.

“I hope you’re not expecting me to give you this kind of news every Christmas morning from now on,” Fallon laughed, mostly from his lips tickling her stomach along with the chilly air hitting her sensitive skin.

“No, I think I’m good with two,” Liam looked up at her, offering her the famous smirk she loved so much. “Right, baby?” He asked before crashing his lips right on the middle of her light bump, giving his baby a long and wet kiss. “Daddy loves you so much already,” she ran her hand softly through his hair as a smile instantly appeared on her lips at his words.

“Charlotte’s home!” They were so lost in their moment they both jumped in fright when the five years old scream echoed around the house. “Did you guys miss me?” She asked. “Of course you did!” She added shortly after. “Oh my god! What is happening here?” She stopped on her tracks as soon as she reached the door to the TV room, her eyes wide and her jaw on the floor as she stared at her father kissing her mother’s belly.

“Hi, princess,” Liam turned towards the sound of her voice and couldn’t help but laugh at her reaction.

“Daddy and I have something to tell you, Charlie,” Fallon adjusted her blouse while Liam stood up. “Before you head up to your bedroom to take your shower, why don’t you sit here with us?”

“I didn’t do anything wrong, I swear!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“We know, baby,” Liam replied. “We just want to talk to you, okay? This is not a lesson, I promise,”

“Okay,” she frowned, looking between her mother and father while she walked towards the couch. “What’s up?” She looked up at them once she was sitting on the edge of the large couch.

Liam glanced at Fallon before taking a seat on the coffee table while she sat besides their daughter.

“You know how mommy and I have been talking about having a bigger family?” He started.

“Yeah,” Charlotte nodded.

“Do you know what that means, princess?” Fallon asked her.

“That you want another kid…” She answered. “Am I not enough anymore?” Their hearts broke at her question and Fallon’s first instinct was to throw an arm around her and pull her into a tight hug.

“Of course you’re enough, Charlie,” Fallon reassured her. “We love you more than anything in this world and you’re one of the reasons why daddy and I are so happy,” she placed a kiss on the top of her head.

“You don’t _ever_ have to worry about that, princess,” Liam reached for her hand. “A second child doesn’t mean we’re going to love you any less, okay?” He asked, looking deeply into her blue eyes as his thumb traced small circles on the back of her hand.

“It just means that daddy and I would like to have another one,” Fallon continued. “We wanted to enjoy you as much as possible so we only started talking about adding to the family about a year ago,” she explained while Charlotte listened carefully to what her parents were telling her. “You’ve been our main focus for five years and we didn’t want to miss any important moment with you but now that you’re a big girl, daddy and I thought it would be nice to have another baby,”

“I am a big girl, yeah,” she murmured. “Where do we get this baby then?”

“It doesn’t work like that, princess,” Liam laughed.

“The baby is actually right here, Charlie,” Fallon covered her stomach with her free hand. “Your dad was talking to the baby and that’s why you caught him kissing my belly when you walked in,” she told her.

“I’ve seen a baby, mommy. They’re small but not _that_ small,” Charlotte rolled her eyes. “It’s not possible that you have a baby in your belly,”

“That’s because the baby is very small right now, Charlotte,” Liam explained. “It’s growing inside mommy’s belly, just like you grew before you were born,”

“I’m only twelve weeks pregnant, princess. We still have a long way to go,”

“How long am I supposed to wait then?”

“It usually takes a baby about forty weeks to be perfect and ready to come into the world,” Fallon responded. “It should be sometime between the end of July and the beginning of August,”

“We’re still in January!” The five years old exclaimed. “Couldn’t you two have chosen a fastest way?”

“Not really, Charlie,” Liam replied. “Mommy’s body is working a lot to make sure our baby is perfect and it does take a while so unfortunately, we just have to be patient,”

“How did the baby even get there, mommy?” Charlotte questioned, causing Fallon to choke on her own saliva. “You didn’t eat it, did you?” Her eyes widened in shock. “Oh my god, did you eat _me_ once?” She looked at them horrified.

“No, princess,” Liam shook his head playfully. “Mommy didn’t eat this baby and she didn’t eat you either,” he couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh. “Women usually have tiny eggs inside of them and men have tiny seeds inside of them,” he started, glancing at Fallon for permission to keep talking as he searched for the best words. “Sometimes, when mommy and daddy have some alone time, they can make a baby if a seed and an egg meet,”

“You mean when you lock the door because you’re kissing in bed?” She asked.

“Yes,” Fallon nodded. “If they meet, a baby starts growing inside mommy’s belly, like right now,”

“How did you even get these eggs, mommy?” She looked up at Fallon. “Are they like the ones we eat?”

“No, Charlotte,” she told her. “They are _very_ tiny and there are thousands of them inside a woman but you’re born with them,”

“Do I have eggs too?” She questioned.

“You do,” Fallon continued, “but you don’t notice them until you’re in your teenage years…”

“That sounds weird,” she scrunched her nose.

“It makes more sense as you get older, princess,” Liam informed her. “Do you have any more questions?”

“How do we choose between a boy and a girl?” Charlotte asked her father. “I would like to request a sister, please,”

“You can’t really choose, Charlie,” Fallon spoke softly. “It’s pretty much a surprise,”

“Tell me you’re not serious,” the five years old turned towards her mother with panic all over her face. “Please, mommy,” she begged. “I can’t wait until July!”

“You can find out the baby’s gender through a blood test or an ultrasound, Charlotte,” Liam told her. “Some couples decide to wait until the baby’s born to find out but it is possible to know whether you’re having a boy or a girl while the baby is still in mommy’s belly,”

“Have you done this exam, mom?”

“I’ve done the blood test, yeah,” the brunette nodded. “It’s still early too see in the ultrasound but we found out through the blood test,”

“It’s a boy, princess,” Liam complemented.

“What?” Charlotte exclaimed, taking her head off Fallon’s chest as she kneeled on the couch. “No!” She shook her head.

“Charlie…” Fallon whispered.

“I don’t want a brother! I want a sister, mom!” Charlotte looked at her mother with tears in her eyes. “No boy,” she shook her head. “Boys aren’t fun, mom! Please, can’t you two make a girl?” She asked. “You’ve made _me_! It means you know how to make a girl!”

“Boys can be fun too, princess,” Fallon continued. “Daddy is fun, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, but that’s because he’s daddy!”

“This baby will be your brother… I’m sure you’re going to love him as much as you love daddy,”

“I guess,” Charlotte shrugged. “I think I’ll love my brother, but a girl would be so much fun! She would be just like us, mom!”

“Then you can put a smile on that face because it _is_ a girl, Charlie,” Liam glanced at Fallon and they both burst out laughing when her jaw fell on the floor, her blue eyes widening so fast they could swear they were going to pop out of their sockets.

“Are you kidding me?” She ran a hand over her eyes, trying to get rid of the tears that were seconds away from falling.

“I thought it would be fun to tease you but you weren’t supposed to cry, princess,” Liam opened his arms for her and Charlotte jumped off the couch to crawl into them.

“That wasn’t fun, daddy!” Charlotte climbed onto his legs and leaned against his chest. “You made me think I was having a brother,” she murmured. “Yeah, I would love him but a sister will be so much better!”

“Are you happy?” Fallon asked her.

“Are you really having a girl, mom?” She replied. “Am I really having a sister?” For someone who had only found out there was a new baby on the way for about half an hour, she was definitely more excited than they actually thought she would be.

“Yes, princess, you’re having a sister,” Fallon and Liam answered at the same time, both incredibly happy to see how well she had accepted the idea of having a new baby in the family.

“That is so cool!” The five years old exclaimed. “I’m going to teach her all about fashion and travelling and Disney!”

“You’re going to be the _best_ big sister, Charlotte,” Liam ran a hand through her hair. “Your sister is not really here but she’s already very lucky to have you… your mom’s been talking about all the shopping sprees you’re going to have together so you can prepare everything for when she arrives ever since we found out it’s a girl,”

“Shopping?” Charlotte’s eyes sparkled. “Count me in!” She exclaimed.

“We can start talking about all the things we’re going to need after dinner but right now I’m pretty sure we could all use some food,” Fallon mentioned.

“I’m sure we already have almost everything though,” Liam spoke as they headed to the kitchen. “We kept pretty much everything Charlotte had,” he told his wife.

“My sister is special, daddy! She doesn’t deserve hand-me-downs!” Charlotte looked up at him. “She deserves brand new clothes and toys and accessories!” She rambled. “I’m sure Dolce & Gabbana baby’s collection is even better now! Not to mention that she can’t wear something from five years ago, daddy, that would simply be a crime to fashion,”

“So I guess we’re just going to buy everything again?” Liam questioned, trying to keep up with his daughter’s plan. She clearly wanted to participate on everything related to her baby sister.

“We are, yes,” Charlotte affirmed. “Now,” she paused so she could climb on of the stools at the counter. “Let’s talk names!”

.

.

 **Prompts:** “Fallon and Liam telling Charlotte there’s a new baby on the way”, “Fallon experiencing killer morning sickness” and “Fallon and Liam telling Charlotte about how babies are made”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It wasn't supposed to get this long but I hope you liked it! Let me know your thoughts!


	23. In The Middle Of The Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte Week - Day 7

It was still dark outside when Liam opened his eyes, frowning when he noticed Fallon wasn’t lying next to him anymore. Summer had just begun but their bedroom was always quite chilly during the night and at that moment, he wanted nothing but to pull his wife closer to him and fall back to sleep with his arms wrapped around her small frame.

Rolling onto his side, he squinted at the bedside clock he kept on his nightstand, much to Fallon’s dismay. Apparently, its hands made too much noise when he could easily check the time on his phone but he insisted on keeping it there, claiming that it wasn’t even that loud in the first place.

Liam sat up on the bed, leaning against the headboard as he wondered where Fallon could be at 4:28 in the morning. It wasn’t odd for Fallon to experience insomnia and head to her office in the middle of the night to work but ever since Charlotte was born, she hardly ever got up if it wasn’t to check on their baby girl. Therefore, it wasn’t a surprise to him when he heard Fallon’s soft voice coming from the baby monitor sitting right next to her iPhone on her nightstand.

Yawning, he tried to rub the sleep of his eyes as much as his tired body allowed before standing up. As he approached Charlotte’s bedroom, he noticed a small yellow light coming from inside the room even though the entire second floor of the mansion was completely dark. The door was only half way closed so he carefully pushed it open, hoping his action wouldn’t disturb any of them as he stepped into the light pink nursery.

“Hey,” Fallon whispered, looking up from the baby girl in her arms.

She was sitting on the armchair by the crib, rocking her body back and forth gently as she nursed the six months old. Her hair was slightly messy, her eyes were still rather red and puffy from the few hours she had managed to sleep and he couldn’t help but notice she was wearing his favorite football zip hoodie over her fancy silk nightgown.

“Everything okay?” Liam asked.

“Her fever spiked again,” she told him. “I woke up when she started groaning in complaint and when I got here she was burning,”

“I didn’t even hear her cry,” he murmured.

“You’re exhausted, Liam. You were stuck in meetings all afternoon yesterday and you still spent hours writing after dinner,” Fallon mentioned. “I didn’t want her to wake you. I kept waking up because I couldn’t stop thinking about her so eventually I just got up and came here,”

“How long have you been here?” Liam took a step forward and ran his fingers softly through her long brown waves while he stared down at their daughter.

Charlotte’s eyes were closed but her mouth moved eagerly against Fallon’s breast, sucking hungrily on her nipple as her tiny fingers gripped tightly onto the thin gold chain around her mother’s neck.

“A couple of hours,” she replied. “I gave her some ibuprofen and put her in the bathtub but it took a while for the fever to finally go down,”

“She’s still a bit warm,” Liam lowered his hand to his daughter’s head.

“Uhh!” Charlotte let go of her Fallon’s nipple and screamed in complaint, kicking her legs and squirming in her mother’s arms at his touch.

“It’s just daddy, princess,” Fallon told her.

“I know you want mommy, baby,” Liam spoke softly, kneeling next to the armchair. “Daddy is just worried about you,” he leaned forward, placing a loving kiss on her forehead as he ran his hand delicately over her stomach.

“Can you stay with daddy for a couple of minutes so mommy can go to the bathroom, Charlie?”

“Isn’t she eating?” He asked, a bit confused.

“She stopped a few minutes ago,” Fallon shrugged. “She seemed satisfied but she didn’t want to let go,”

“So you just let her keep sucking even though she didn’t want milk?” Liam couldn’t help but laugh. “Why didn’t you give her the pacifier?”

“You think I didn’t try that?” She questioned. “She spit it out and clung to my chest but I’m starting to feel a little bit sore so I would love if you could get her to accept the pacifier,” she placed Charlotte carefully in his arms so she could stand up.

“You also didn’t _want_ her to let go, did you?” He teased, staring deeply into her eyes as he read her like an open book.

“That might be true, yeah,” Fallon blushed. “I will be right back,”

“Go back to bed, Fal,” Liam suggested. “You’ve barely slept and you have that important meeting at ten,”

“I texted Allison and told her to go,” she informed him. “It might be just a baby flu but there’s no way in hell I’m going to work when Charlotte is sick,” she spoke as she stepped into the ensuite. “I didn’t go in yesterday and I’m not going until she gets better,”

“Fallon, I know Charlotte is more important than anything but you can’t just completely ignore work whenever she’s sick,” Liam told her.

“Unless you want me to take her to the office with me, I’m not going,” Fallon walked out of the bathroom a minute later. “What if she gets worse? What if her fever comes back? What if it’s not just baby flu?” She rambled. “I’m not taking my eyes off my baby girl until I’m one hundred percent sure she’s as healthy as she can be, babbling and laughing loudly all over the house,”

“I wasn’t here yesterday but Charlotte has daddy full time now, babe,” Liam offered her a smile, rocking the six months gently as he tried to get her to take the pacifier. “It’s okay if you need to head to the office for a couple of hours,”

“Honestly? I don’t want to, Liam,” Fallon admitted. “I don’t have it in me to leave her when she needs me the most,” she told him. “I know you’re perfectly capable of taking care of her and I trust you’d only do what’s best for her but I just don’t have it in me to go to a work meeting when our baby girl is not feeling good,” she explained, running her hand softly over Charlotte’s short brown hair. “You keep telling me I should promote Allison… I need to see how well she does when I’m not there,”

For a moment, they both gazed lovingly at her as she finally accepted the pacifier, sucking on the yellow object with a funny giraffe on it as she stared deeply at her parents. As relaxed as Charlotte was in her father’s arms, however, the minute she noticed Fallon was right beside them, she raised both her arms and extended them towards her mother.

“Mommy’s right here, princess,” Fallon whispered softly before taking the six months old in her arms. “Can you get the thermometer?” She asked concerned. “I don’t think she should be this warm,” she held Charlotte against her chest, placing a kiss on the top of her head as the baby girl rested her head between her mother’s breasts.

“Maybe we should go to the ER?” Liam suggested as he reached for the thermometer that Fallon had left on the changing table.

“Her doctor said it’s normal for the fever to come and go…” She told him, wrapping her arms even tighter around Charlotte. “But this is exactly why I don’t want to take my eyes off her,”

“Let me at least take you back to bed then,” he cupped her cheek. “If we’re going to spend the night awake watching her, we should at least enjoy our comfortable bed,”

“Charlotte’s going to be okay, right?” Fallon asked as they walked towards the master bedroom.

“Of course she is, babe,” Liam threw one arm around her waist and pulled her towards him to give her a quick but delicate peck on the lips. “We’re both here to take care of her and give her exactly what she needs, Fal. If she’s as tough as her mommy, she will get better in no time,” he offered her a smile before leaning in for another kiss.

.

.

 **Prompt:** “Charlotte's first baby flu”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still can't believe this story has reached 200 kudos! 
> 
> I don't think I can thank you all enough for how nice you all have been towards this story and Charlotte herself! I could never imagine she would be this famous and so loved by the fandom when I first started this series so thank you very much!!
> 
> Unfortunately, Charlotte week is over so we're now back to the usual routine of chapters... I hope you liked this one and I hope you had a lot of fun with the Ridley's this past week.
> 
> Let me know what you think!!


	24. The Doctor's Appointment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To everyone that's been asking... here's one of the chapters where you get to know more about Olivia.

“Are you okay?” Liam asked, looking up from the two years old in front of him to glance at his wife.

Fallon was standing by the large windows, her arms crossed against her chest as she stared at the beautiful city in front of her. They were at one of the highest floors so they could see most of the skyline from the private practice’s waiting room. It was surprisingly sunny and there was not a single cloud in the sky on that May morning in Chicago.

“Are _you_? We flew almost a thousand miles to bring Olivia to the doctor and we didn’t even tell Charlotte,” Fallon spoke without even turning to look at him. “She went to school this morning thinking it was just a normal day and here we are,” she finally turned around, uncrossing her arms as she pointed to the city outside.

“I’m sure Charlotte will understand, babe,” Liam ran a hand through Olivia’s hair while she moved the fire truck over the small table. “We’re going back this afternoon anyway,”

“I’m worried we will just hear the same thing we always hear, Liam,” Fallon admitted. “That she’s healthy and that there’s no reason why she wouldn’t want to eat but she’s underweight and we need to insist until she finally eats,”

“Just because one doctor said she’s underweight, it doesn’t mean she actually is, Fal,” Liam spoke softly. “We checked the height and weight chart ourselves and we saw that she’s not underweight, okay? She might be in the tenth percentile but it’s not exactly critical,”

“A chart we found on Google, Liam. We searched for it because we were freaking out about what the doctor had told us that day but I highly doubt we should believe the Internet over a real medical doctor,” Fallon approached them, the sound of her heels clicking against the hardwood floors getting Olivia’s full attention as she noticed her mother only a few feet away from her.

“Mommy…” Olivia murmured, still sleepy and tired from the two hours flight.

“Which is why we’re searching for the best pediatricians in the country and why we’re here, babe,” Liam explained.

“Mr. and Mrs. Ridley,” Fallon was just about to take Olivia in her arms when the young Spanish nurse called while sliding the wide white door open. “Doctor Miller is ready for you,” she said with a smile, “you can head down the hallway, turn left and she will be waiting for you in the monkey office,”

“Let’s go, pumpkin,” Liam reached for the two years old, placing the red fire truck she had been playing with for the past twenty minutes back on the small table before settling Olivia against the right side of his body.

“No! I want the _twuck_!” Olivia complained while kicking her legs.

“You can take the truck,” the nurse told him, “it should keep her busy during the appointment,”

“You need to behave, Liv,” Fallon spoke softly, “you’re not like this,” she handed her daughter the fire truck and it only took Olivia a second to hold it tightly against her chest.

“It’s okay for kids to feel stressed in this environment,” she explained. “Somehow they can feel this is a doctor’s office and they tend to overreact,”

“Monkey, right?” Liam asked as they walked through the wide door, noticing each office had a different animal on its door.

“Yes,” the nurse nodded before closing the door.

“This doctor better be good,” Fallon whispered at Liam on their way to Doctor Miller’s office. “It feels like Olivia has seen more doctors in the past year than Charlotte has seen in her entire life,” she sighed.

“We’ll figure it out, okay?” Throwing his free arm around her lower back, Liam pulled Fallon closer to him, placing a sweet and reassuring kiss on her cheek. “If we don’t like this one we still have the name of that pediatrician at Hopkins,”

“Good afternoon,” Doctor Miller greeted them with a bright smile when they stepped into her office. “I’m Doctor Samantha Miller,” she stood up from her white leather chair to shake their hands.

“Fallon and Liam Ridley,” the brunette replied.

“And this one here is Olivia,” Liam added, glancing down at the two years old, whose focus was mainly on the red fire truck.

“I got all of her files from her previous doctors and I went over them before this appointment,” Doctor Miller began. “They have plenty of information from the day she was born but since it’s your first time here I would like to start by hearing from the two of you,” she looked between them. “As parents you play the most important role in your child’s life so before we begin talking about Olivia, tell me about yourselves and your family and we will go from there,”

“Well…” Fallon started, “I’m 38, I’m the CEO with a company I started over a decade ago, we’ve been married for eleven years and besides Olivia we have an eight years old called Charlotte and a dog named Daisy,”

“What about you?” The doctor turned towards Liam.

“I’m 40...” Liam paused, “I’m a writer,” he continued, “ever since Charlotte was born I try to work from home as much as I can so I can spend more time with them,” he told her. “We were both practically raised by nannies because our parents were always busy and the last thing we wanted was for them to have that kind of life,” he explained.

“I spend the whole day at the office so it’s good that Liam can stay home with them,” Fallon added.

“I noticed you’ve visited a lot of doctors in Atlanta and even one in New York,” she mentioned.

“We live in Atlanta,” Fallon spoke up. “I’ve lived there my entire life and Liam moved from New York a couple of decades ago… we met in Atlanta, got married there and both of our girls were born there as well,”

“What brought you here today?” She asked.

“Olivia started rejecting almost all kinds of food when she was about one and a half,” Liam looked at Fallon, who replied with a nod to confirm when it had started.

“One year and nine months to be exact,” the brunette added as she opened the small notebook she carried literally everywhere she went. She had been writing down all kind of notes on Olivia’s eating habits ever since it started getting more and more difficult to get her to eat.

“So you started noticing changes in her behavior around May last year?” The couple nodded.

“At first we thought Olivia was just picky with what she ate,” Liam told the doctor. “Even when she started on solid food, she would only eat a few vegetables and some fruits… it was actually quite challenging for us because our first daughter eats pretty much everything and Olivia was never like that,” he admitted.

“May I ask why you keep switching doctors?” Doctor Miller asked.

“We’re trying to understand exactly what’s happening to Olivia,” Fallon told her. “We saw four different doctors in Atlanta and we even took her to this doctor in New York that claimed to be an specialist in kids’ eating habits but we were never really satisfied with what they had to say,” she explained. “So we just kept switching,”

“Before I begin to examine Olivia, why don’t you tell me more about her?” She suggested. “How she used to behave as a baby and then as a toddler,” she requested. “Feel free to share as many details as you think it’s necessary,”

“Olivia was pretty calm as a baby,” Liam started. “She hardly ever fussed and she would cry and scream when she wanted someone but she would stop the minute we picked her up,” he looked between Olivia and the pediatrician.

“When Olivia was a baby… did she sleep with you or did she have her own bedroom?”

“Both girls have always had their own bedroom,” Fallon replied. “We set up the crib in Charlotte’s bedroom when we had her and she never had a problem sleeping by herself, even when she was days old,”

“Since we had never had a problem with Charlotte sleeping in her own bedroom, we did the same for Olivia,” Liam complemented while running his hand softly through Olivia’s blonde strands. “Charlotte, in particular, has always been extremely attached to Fallon and sometimes she would only stop crying when Fallon took her to our bed and slept with Charlie on her chest,” he explained. “Olivia loves to cuddle and she will spend the entire day lying on my chest if I let her but at night she’s always slept peacefully in her own bedroom,” he turned towards Fallon.

“I think I can count in one hand the amount of times we actually took Olivia to our bed at night,” Fallon mentioned.

“How is her sleeping schedule?” The doctor asked while typing all the information they were sharing with her.

“Olivia wakes up around seven and I usually put her down for a nap around one in the afternoon,” Liam began. “I always make sure she’s had a great lunch before her nap. Sometimes it takes me one hour to get her to eat everything she needs but sometimes it can easily takes two hours for her to eat so her nap schedule actually depends on that. She’s a bit off today because of the flight but she has no problem following that routine,”

“What time do you tuck her in at night?”

“Around eight,” Fallon replied. “Liam gives them dinner around five and when I get home from work I take them upstairs for a bath and then we lie on our bed for about half an hour to read a book of their choice,”

“Most of the time Olivia falls asleep before the story is over,” he told her. “She hardly ever falls asleep after eight,”

“Does she wake up in the middle of the night?” They both shook their heads. “That’s a nice schedule and the fact that not only does Olivia sleep by herself but she also sleeps all night long makes me feel very optimist about her,” Doctor Miller explained. “Sleep is extremely important at this age and it’s not uncommon for kids to experience a variety of behavior problems when they’re not sleeping properly,” she looked between the anxious parents. “I’m glad to hear you’re sleeping exactly as you should, beautiful,” the doctor giggled at Olivia, offering her a bright smile when the two years old replied with a loud and adorable laugh. “Can you tell me about her eating habits as a baby? How was breastfeeding?”

Liam turned towards his wife the moment the doctor asked them the question about breastfeeding and reached for her hand when he noticed Fallon staring at her stilettos. He knew exactly how delicate that subject was to her. Lacing their fingers together, he rubbed his thumb gently over the back of her hand, hoping it would at least help her get the words out.

“I could only breastfeed her until she was nine months old...” Fallon spoke up after a couple of minutes in complete silence. “Two years ago, we had quite a scare with Charlotte and a week later I barely had any milk. I tried pumping more often to stimulate it but eventually it just dried up,” she explained, looking at Liam in search of the comfort she knew he could always provide her. He offered her a smile and tightened his grip on her hand so she could continue. “I stopped nursing Charlotte when she was one year and eight months old and that was only because she stopped asking and kept going for the bottle whenever she wanted milk,”

“It’s amazing that you were able to nurse Charlotte for that long, Fallon,” Doctor Miller offered her a smile, “but you should never blame yourself for not being able to nurse Olivia for that long. As a mother and a pediatrician myself, I can reassure you that it’s completely normal to undergo all kinds of stress. We live in a world where literally anything can happen... whether it’s too us or to our little ones,” she looked between the couple. “If you had a scare with your daughter, it’s totally normal that you were nervous, anxious and stressed. Just like some people get headaches or stomachaches when they’re stressed, a mother could easily have her breasts dry up because every body reacts differently,”

“I just feel like I’ve failed her,” Fallon admitted.

“Fal...” Liam murmured.

“Maybe if I had been able to nurse her for a little longer she wouldn’t be having these eating problems,” she mentioned.

Olivia was about to turn three years old and the fact that her breasts had dried up had been bugging Fallon ever since it happened. Two years had gone by and Fallon still couldn’t accept that she hadn’t been able to provide her youngest daughter with the same healthy and beneficial breast milk she had provided her eldest. Liam glanced at her for a moment and it didn’t take him more than a second to notice the tears starting to pool in her eyes.

“This is not your fault, babe,” Liam spoke softly.

“He’s right, Fallon,” Doctor Miller spoke up. “It’s important for babies to drink nothing but breast milk during their first six months because of all the nutrients it has. Many women don’t even get to feed their babies for that long for a number of reasons,” she looked at Fallon, watching carefully as the brunette leaned towards her husband and reached for her little girl’s hand with a shy but meaningful smile on her lips. “Nursing your eldest for almost two years is definitely something to be proud of because I’m sure she got nothing but the best from you but nursing Olivia for nine months is a _great_ time, Fallon!” She exclaimed. “You’ve been carrying that burden with you for two years now and I’m sure it comes back to you every time Olivia rejects a meal but you should _never_ consider this is your fault,”

“It’s just...” Fallon paused, “I feel so hopeless,” she admitted.

“And that’s normal, Fallon,” Doctor Miller turned towards the wide Mac screen to her right and typed a few keys on her delicate white keyboard. “You want what’s best for your children and that’s completely normal but you can’t forget that _your_ health and state of mind are just as important,” she explained. “Babies usually have a special bond with their mothers and they can definitely feel when something is wrong with them, which is why it’s so important that you focus on your health too,”

“I wish I didn’t have to ask you this, Doctor, but is it possible that the lack of breast milk is one of the reasons why she’s been having eating problems?” Liam let go of Fallon’s hand and cupped her cheek, offering her a reassuring and loving smile before he turned towards the pediatrician.

“I highly doubt it, Liam,” Doctor Miller answered right away. “While formula is not as good as breast milk, it’s definitely the second best option. Its purpose is to offer the baby everything it needs from the moment their born when the mother doesn’t have enough breast milk,” she explained. “I’ve known mothers who could only breastfeed for a couple of months just like I’ve known mothers who never had a single drop of milk in their bodies and their babies were as healthy as they could be,” she looked at Fallon. “Again, Fallon, nine months is a great time… please, don’t feel bad just because your body reacted different when you had Charlotte,”

“So we can rule that out?” Fallon questioned. “As a reason to her eating problems…”

“You can, yeah,” the doctor replied. “Olivia’s medical exams are all good and they don’t show any sign of abnormalities or disorders. Her red blood cells, platelets, white blood cells and immunoglobulin G are all inside the normal range for a girl her age,” she spoke as she read the file on her screen. “I’m only reading a few of them with you because there’s no point on telling you about every single result since they’re all normal,”

“Doctor Miller, how is Olivia’s weight?” Fallon asked.

“One of the last doctors we visited mentioned she needed to gain weight,” Liam added. “He said her test results were okay but that Olivia was definitely underweight for her age,”

“When was that?” Doctor Miller checked the timestamp on each of the files she had received.

“Last week of February,” Fallon replied.

“I believe he was right,” she spoke as she read the results from the blood test Olivia had done in February. “I wouldn’t say the results were critical but they were definitely not ideal. However, she had an appointment on April 3rd and in about forty days, she gained three pounds and grew one inch, which is amazing,” she explained. “Did something out of the ordinary happen around that time?”

“Actually, yes,” Liam responded.

“Liam and I were going through a difficult time in our marriage and I think it’s safe to say that we weren’t exactly on great terms in February…” Fallon began. “We then decided it would be best for the girls if we lived some time apart because of all the fighting and we lived apart for about a month,”

“I can see how much you care for each other and you clearly look at each other with a lot of love in your eyes so can I assume you’re back together now?” Doctor Miller asked.

“We are,” Fallon replied.

“If you had to describe what was happening between the two of you around the February 24th appointment, how would you describe it?”

“We had been fighting quite a lot…” Liam admitted.

“Did any of those fights happen in front of them?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Fallon ran a hand through her hair in frustration. “We tried to keep it private but it happened a couple of times,”

“And how would you describe your relationship around the April 3rd appointment?” She continued.

“I moved out of the house at the beginning of March and we actually got back together the night before that appointment,” Liam told her. “We fought a couple of times throughout this month we lived apart but it definitely wasn’t as bad,”

“Did you try some kind of shared custody during this period?”

“Yeah,” Fallon nodded. “They lived with me but Liam had dinner at the house at least twice a week and they even stayed with him for a couple of days,”

“As I mentioned before, it’s normal for kids to feel exactly what their parents are feeling,” she started. “If you were going through a bad time, it’s not a surprise that Olivia’s body reacted like it did. It wasn’t ideal in February but it showed signs of recovery around the time you got back together because things were probably better between the two of you,” she explained.

“Oh god, did we do this?” Liam’s eyes widened as he glanced between Fallon and the doctor.

“Since this has been going on for a year, your marital problems is definitely not the reason why this has been happening but it’s definitely why Olivia’s results weren’t that good for a couple of months,” Doctor Miller told them. “You were most likely broken and upset with what was happening between the two of you and she noticed that. She seems more attached to Liam so she probably felt _exactly_ what he was feeling,” she explained. “She may be only two and we might think they don’t understand when something like this happen but they do. It’s very likely that for these two months, she rejected food even more and the psychological effects made her lose weight,”

“So she’s going to be okay now?” Fallon asked concerned. “I mean, since we’re back together and all…”

“Are you two happy, Fallon?”

“We are,” Fallon turned towards Liam, offering him a soft smile as she answered to the doctor’s question. “We’re very happy, doctor,”

“It’s been over a month since her last appointment and apparently a lot has happened in the past month and a half so I’m going to ask for another blood test,” she continued. “I know it sucks to put her through all those tests and needles over and over again but I would like to compare the most recent results to her previous ones. I normally wouldn’t ask for more tests since the last one is from March but the change in the family environment is definitely something we should take under consideration,”

“It’s okay,” Liam murmured. “Whatever it takes to make her better,” he smiled at Fallon.

“I would like to do a physical exam on Olivia so we can check her weight, height, heartbeat…” Doctor Miller spoke as she stood up, rounding her desk to approach them. “Can you come with me?” She asked the two years old.

“Daddy!” Olivia replied, wrapping her arms around Liam’s neck.

“He can take you to the exam table but then he needs to step back so I can exam you. Is that alright?”

“Why?” She asked.

“Doctor Miller needs to check a few things, pumpkin,” Liam spoke as he walked towards the exam table. “It’s not going to take long but you need to behave, okay?”

“Take her clothes and shoes off, please,” she requested.

While Liam undressed Olivia, Fallon reached for her phone and quickly typed their pilot a text message to let him know they were going to be a bit late. As much as they hoped that appointment would take at least one hour, they could never imagine they would find such a thorough doctor. She had been asking them so many questions about their marriage and their family, trying to understand how the people around Olivia could influence her behavior that they barely even noticed they had been in that office for almost two hours.

“This might be a bit cold, sweetie,” Doctor Miller informed before she placed the stethoscope on Olivia’s chest.

Liam took a step back once the doctor started examining Olivia and stood by Fallon’s side, throwing on arm around her lower back as she leaned her head against his chest. Olivia sat still on the exam table, allowing the doctor to perform every exam she judged necessary, but kept her eyes on her parents the whole time.

“I have no reason to believe Olivia is sick,” the doctor spoke up. “Let’s check your weight now,” she helped the two years old stand on her feet before guiding her towards the weighing scale. “Thirty three pounds! That’s great, Olivia!” She exclaimed, turning towards Fallon and Liam with a wide smile on her lips.

“She’s not underweight?” Liam asked, hopeful.

“I would say this is an amazing weight for a girl her age,” she replied.

“Oh thank god,” Fallon sighed in relief, tightening the grip of her arms around Liam’s body before placing a kiss on his cheek.

“Olivia, now I need you to look at me and stand up straight so I can measure your height, okay?” Doctor Miller requested. “Can you do that for me? Like a superhero?”

“Yeah!” Olivia exclaimed.

“Thirty eight inches,” she mentioned. “It’s not usual for toddlers to grown almost three inches in such a small period of time but since you’re both tall, I would say we could have expected that for Olivia,” she explained. “Is there something you would like to eat once we are done?” The doctor asked the two years old.

“Ice _cweam_!”

“That’s great!” Doctor Miller smiled. “Since you behaved so well during the examination, you get to take home one of these…” She opened the door to one of the white cabinets and Olivia’s eyes immediately sparkled at the sight of so many stuffed animals. “Which one would you like?”

“The fox, please,” she replied with a shy smile.

“You can dress her up,” she turned towards Liam as she handed Olivia the orange animal.

“Thank you,” Olivia hugged her legs while holding the stuffed fox in one of her small hands.

“Are you going to have ice cream when you get out of here?” Doctor Miller turned towards the two years old as they headed back to her desk.

“If they let me,” she shrugged, glancing between her parents before looking at the pediatrician.

“What else do you like to eat?” She asked.

“Lots and lots of ice _cweam_ ,” Olivia responded. “I like Talenti Gelato,” she added.

“It’s okay to have ice cream once in a while but you have to eat other food too,” Doctor Miller spoke softly.

“No food,” she shook her head, pouting at the doctor before burying her head on Liam’s chest.

“For some reason, ice cream is the only food she actually _enjoys_ eating,” Fallon told the doctor. “Charlotte is allowed one scoop after dinner while she watches something on TV and Olivia always asks to join her sister,”

“It appears that Olivia might simply be a picky eater,” the doctor continued. “The problems you faced as a family clearly had an impact on her health but I have no reason to believe they’re still present. Both her weight and height are great,” she explained. “Her pulse, breathing and heartbeat are also normal so I can rule out a possible eating disorder because her body doesn’t show any signs of malnourishment,”

“And what does that mean, doctor?” Liam questioned.

“It means that your baby girl is not sick but she will still require a lot of attention and patience from you two,” Doctor Miller scooted her chair closer to her computer so she could write down a few recommendations for Olivia. “My first advice is to set up a schedule so each one of you can have a meal with her. Fallon works all day and Charlotte goes to school but I’d like you to work on a plan for her, together,” she explained. “It’s important to have family meals, all four of you, but eating alone with her will allow you to understand whether she rejects it because she really doesn’t enjoy that specific food or because she is not interested in eating at all,”

“We already have some sort of schedule,” he informed her.

“That’s great!” She smiled. “However, it is important that you eat the same kind of food when you’re eating with Olivia. You can’t have pasta if you’re giving her broccoli, for example,” she looked between them to make sure they were following her train of thought. “It’s normal for parents to give their children protein and lots of vegetables but you have to show her how important it is to eat that kind of food. Interacting with you during the meal can also be quite helpful so you can try talking to her or even playing with a toy while you’re feeding her,” she explained. “If she’s busy and entertained, she will probably not even notice she’s eating,”

“To be honest, that’s something we never really tried because some doctors told us it could take her focus away if we did it,” Fallon admitted.

“Olivia probably likes more food than you think she does,” Doctor Miller mentioned. “I don’t advise putting her in front of a TV during the meal but interaction between family members can be very good. If she sees that you’re having fun and that you’re enjoying your meal, she might feel induced to eat,” she told them. “She looks up to you and she will most likely want to have what you’re having but of course, give her time. If it takes her an hour to eat everything, then give her that time. Don’t try to rush her because she will see that as a bad thing,”

“Should we try to have more family meals?” Fallon asked. “I try to get home for dinner but most of the time that’s not possible,” she confessed. “We always have breakfast together but most of the time I get home and they’ve already eaten,”

“It’s important to have at least one family meal a day,” she replied. “Breakfast is fine as long as it’s not that rushed meal where everyone is getting ready and walking around the house at the same time,” she informed. “You have to actually sit down at the table and eat together,”

“Yeah, that's probably something we're going to have to work on,” Liam turned towards Fallon.

“Since Charlotte spends the day at school, you can turn lunch time into something special for her,” Doctor Miller recommended. “Take her to the park for a picnic, watch a movie together, sometimes I even suggest eating from the same bowl or feeding each other. Allow her to interact with you and the food so she can start understanding what she likes and what she doesn’t,”

“We were told we shouldn’t even switch places,” he mentioned. “Not even at home,”

“You shouldn’t do that for every meal, no,” she shook her head. “Mostly because that will probably just confuse her but changing the location once in a while can be good… if you take her out to the park for a picnic, for example, make sure you have dinner at home and at your usual place, whether it’s the kitchen or a dinning room, but somewhere she’s familiar with,”

“That actually sounds nice,” Fallon nodded. “A lot better than being stuck to a table,”

“If you’re complaining about having to eat at the table every day, imagine her. Adults don’t have the same energy she does and the last thing she wants is to sit at a table for two hours while you tell her that she needs to eat,” she explained. “Which is why it’s important to have some kind of entertainment, specially if she’s taking too long to eat,”

“Yeah, we can definitely do that,” Liam smiled, running his hand through his daughter’s hair. “Right, pumpkin?”

“I don’t know,” Olivia shrugged in response.

“Yes, we can, Miss Ridley,” Fallon tickled her legs and the two years old let out a soft and adorable laugh.

“You mentioned Charlotte is eight, right?” They nodded. “You can try leaving them alone once in a while. She should be old enough to understand what is best for her baby sister so talk to her and tell her exactly what you want Olivia to eat,” she instructed. “Fix them both a plate with the same food and leave the room. Let them work things out together,” she explained. “If they want to play on the kitchen floor for two hours, let them, just make sure Charlotte knows what to do. It’s exhausting for Olivia to hear the same thing from you all the time but kids usually have a different way to handle some situations. Maybe having some alone time with her big sister can encourage her to eat,”

“I don’t think we’ve ever tried that,” Liam admitted.

“They’re kids, so expect to find a mess when you return to the room but they do see things differently. I wouldn’t be surprised if Charlotte figured out a way to get her to eat that none of you have ever thought of,” she told them. “This is a food recommendation chart,” she reached for the sheets of paper she had just printed and slid them towards the couple.

“Okay,” Fallon murmured as they grabbed a copy each.

“You can see it’s a four weeks calendar and the first week already has suggestions for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” she started. “What you have to do is sort the ingredients into three categories. Food that she seemed to really enjoy, food that she seemed to really hate and food that you think are worth trying again,” she explained. “For week two, you’re going to give her meals that have two ingredients that she liked and one that she didn’t. Then you sort the ingredients again. It is possible that she will change her mind about some of them,”

“Then week three, two ingredients that are worth trying again and one that she likes, right?” Liam asked as he read the instructions written on the chart.

“Exactly,” Doctor Miller nodded. “Then for week four, you go back to two ingredients that she likes and one that she dislikes for lunch and for dinner three ingredients that she likes,” she concluded. “It is expected that every week, it gets a little bit easier to feed her and it also helps you two understand what ingredients she wants and what ingredients she will reject every single time you give them to her,”

“That’s a very interesting diet,” Fallon commented.

“It’s actually a year long diet that I’ve been working on with a few other pediatricians for the past five years,” she told them. “We try to bring a lot of new articles and research into it so we can make our patients’ lives a lot easier. This way you have all the recommendations in one place and all you have to do is follow the instructions and take care of your baby girl,” she offered them a smile.

“Can we get Olivia the whole diet?” Liam asked.

“I like to suggest trying it for a month before we settle for the entire year,” Doctor Miller replied. “You have to follow it to the bone in order to see positive results so this is actually a test for the two of you. I understand that life is crazy and some days are worse than others but you can’t just skip a meal or a day,” she explained. “So you have to make sure _you_ can follow it. A month is one thing but a year is completely different. It might get to the point where one of you might need to drop work or whatever you’re doing just to stick to the plan,”

“We’re determined to do whatever it takes to make Olivia better, doctor,” Fallon spoke right away. “We understand that it’s not an easy road and we’re willing to do anything to help her,”

“Charlotte and Olivia are more important than anything,” Liam added. “We can definitely stick to the plan,”

“This is not supposed to be a burden in your lives. Far from it,” she continued. “You can still go out, travel and do whatever other things you like to do. All you have to do is make sure she follows the diet,” she told them. “Choose restaurants that offer the food she needs to eat or even prepare a meal for her at home and take it to the restaurant… I’ve treated kids who travelled all the time with their parents and they could still follow the diet so I don’t see why Olivia wouldn’t be able to follow it,” she explained. “It might not be the most practical thing and you might feel like you’re back to those baby days where you had to carry bottles, formula and snacks with you everywhere, but it’s what Olivia needs from you,”

“We will follow it,” Fallon nodded. “No matter what,”

“Can she have a snack in between meals?” Liam asked.

“Yes. I would suggest a fruit in the morning but in the afternoon it’s okay if she wants cereal or even something sweet like ice cream, for example,” she replied. “As long as it’s a small portion so she’s not too full for the main meal,”

“Perfect,” he nodded, trying to digest all the information the pediatrician had been giving them for the past two and a half hours.

“One more thing,” Doctor Miller spoke up. “I’m pretty sure Fallon mentioned that you have a dog. Is that correct?”

“Yes, we have a bulldog,” Fallon told her. “Liam showed up with Daisy for Charlotte’s second birthday,”

“She’s pretty much Charlotte’s shadow,” Liam chuckled.

“How old is she?”

“She’s turning seven in a couple of months,”

“Something that could help Olivia, even if not directly, would be having her own dog. Of course this is something that you two have to discuss between yourselves, mainly because it’s a dog we’re talking about, not a teddy bear,” she began. “I can imagine Olivia interacts with Daisy but I think it’s safe to say that she’s Charlotte’s dog and she’s closer to her in age than to Olivia,” she mentioned. “It’s been proved that children that grow up with pets tend to be less moody, have fewer behavior problems and even have better health,” she explained. “If it’s something that you two want to consider, I think having her own dog, a puppy or even one that is around her age, could be extremely good to Olivia,”

“Even though we already _have_ a dog?” Fallon questioned, pulling her phone out of her handbag to check why it wouldn’t stop vibrating.

“Charlotte and Daisy already had an established relationship when Olivia was born. Dogs tend to look at someone as their master and correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems to me that Daisy sees Charlotte as her master,”

“That’s actually quite accurate,” Liam shrugged.

“Oh god,” the brunette sighed when she noticed Sam’s name on the top of the screen. Rejecting the call, she pushed the device back into the front pocket of her Prada satchel so she could pay attention to the pediatrician.

“Having a dog can give children a sense of responsibility and even teach them things they wouldn’t normally learn until they’re a bit older,” Doctor Miller glanced between them. “Daisy is older than Olivia and if she will probably choose Charlotte over her in an instant. As much as Olivia plays and interacts with her, she will never really be Olivia’s, simply because she respects Charlotte more than anyone else,”

“Would a dog really help with her eating?” Fallon frowned, still not convinced that getting another dog would help her baby girl.

“A dog would be like her own best friend, Fallon,” the doctor continued. “Someone that would follow her everywhere and be there for her whenever she needs, pretty much like you’re saying Daisy is for Charlotte,” she explained. “Puppies are great for children her age because they grow up together… the psychological effects a dog brings to children can improve their health and immune system. Clearly, a dog won’t get Olivia to eat but it might help with her behavior enough to lead her into a better eating routine,”

“That makes sense,” Liam reached for Fallon’s hand, offering her a smile before they both looked down at their daughter.

“We’ve been talking for almost three hours and you two have a lot to take in. Talk to each other about everything we discussed here because you’re the only ones that can come up with a good plan for Olivia,” Doctor Miller told them. “From what I’ve heard, your journey through parenthood with Charlotte was quite smoothly so it’s important that you learn how to be a different kind of mother and a different kind of father,” she mentioned. “I’m here to help you in every way that I can but the final decision regarding Olivia will always be yours,”

“Thank you so much, Doctor Miller,” Liam offered her a smile. “Everything okay?” He asked his wife when he noticed her checking her phone for what was probably the fourth time in the past ten minutes.

“I’m pretty sure Charlotte found out we’re not home,” Fallon ran a hand through her hair.

“I would like to see Olivia in a month. As soon as you’re done following the first four weeks of the diet,” Doctor Miller spoke up. “Will that be a problem since you live in Atlanta?”

“No, not a problem,” Fallon shook her head. “We will be here,” she smiled. “What about the blood test?”

“You can add my medical ID to the test and the lab will e-mail it to me as soon as they’re done,” she explained, standing up from her chair. “We will talk about them on your next appointment,” walking around her desk, she stood in front of Liam and gently touched Olivia’s chin. “You’re one of the most beautiful baby girls I’ve ever seen, Olivia. Be a nice girl to mommy and daddy, okay?”

“Okay!” The two years old threw her arms up in the air. “I’m _vewy_ nice,” she offered the doctor a smile.

“Yes, you are,” she ran a hand softly through Olivia’s dirty blonde hair. “I’m sure mommy and daddy are going to give you the biggest ice cream they can buy! What do you say about that?”

“Yes! Ice _cweam_!” Olivia screamed, standing up on Liam’s legs as she waved the stuffed fox in front of her in excitement. “Lots of ice _cweam_!” They all laughed at her sudden reaction.

“You got a pretty fox and you’re getting some well deserved ice cream once you leave my office, sweetheart,” she spoke softly. “Do you think you can eat a nice dinner tonight?”

“No _cawots_ ,” the two years old shook her head in disapproval.

“Okay, nobody is giving you carrots tonight but if mommy and daddy give you a great and healthy meal, will you eat it?” The pediatrician insisted. “You did get a new toy and you get to choose what ice cream you’re having in a few,”

“I like potatoes,” Olivia murmured.

“Well, then I’m sure your parents can give you delicious potatoes for dinner,” she smiled. “Can you promise me that you will eat everything?”

“Yeah…”

“Some blackmail might work for tonight’s meal,” Doctor Miller whispered, glancing between the two parents. “You have my number so don’t hesitate to call me if you have any questions,” she spoke as she headed towards the door.

“Thank you so much,” Fallon shook the doctor’s hand.

“You have no idea how enlightening this appointment has been,” Liam added. “I’m confident we will take even better care of our baby girl from now on,”“It was nice meeting you,” Doctor Miller offered them a smile. “I will see you three in a month,” she mentioned before turning towards the two years old. “Don’t give your parents too much of a hard time, sweetheart,” she whispered, caressing her tiny hand softly before waving them goodbye. 

“Did we just find Olivia’s new pediatrician?” Fallon rested her head on his shoulder while they waited for the elevator to reach the lobby. Her arms were wrapped around his, hugging his muscled arm tightly as she allowed herself to relax after finally getting the kind of answers they needed regarding their youngest daughter. “I’m pretty sure she just removed that huge weight we’ve been carrying on our shoulders this past year,”

“ _Tiwed_ , daddy,” Olivia yawned, rubbing her eyes softly as she leaned against his other shoulder.

“You can sleep, baby,” Liam placed a soft kiss on her forehead. “We’re going home, okay?” A peaceful smile appeared on his lips as he glanced between the two of them. The past year had been crazy and stressful in so many ways for their family and he was happy to know things were starting to work out for them.

“My ice _cweam_ , daddy,” she reminded him, snuggling closer to her father so she could lie her head in the crook of his neck.

“We’re going to buy your ice cream on our way to the airport, Liv,” Fallon told her daughter. “You didn’t nap this afternoon so why don’t you close your eyes and enjoy daddy’s embrace for a little while?” She suggested. “You can have your ice cream when you wake up,”

“But it will melt, mommy,” Olivia countered.

“I wonder who is teaching her these sassy replies,” he rolled his eyes and Fallon could only laugh at the mention of their eldest daughter.

“Speaking about Miss Charlie, I better call Sam back,” Fallon let go of his arm for a moment so she could grab the iPhone that just wouldn’t stop ringing during the appointment.

“I’m pretty sure there is a Target only a couple of blocks from here,” Liam mentioned. “I’ll call the driver to pick us up and we can stop there before we head to the airport,”

 _“Mommy! Finally!”_ Charlotte exclaimed on the other end of the line.

“Hi, princess,” Fallon greeted her. “How was school?”

 _“School was okay but that’s not the subject here, mom,”_ the eight years old replied. _“May I ask what you’re doing in Chicago?”_ She questioned. _“Why would you only take Ollie with you?”_ Her voice broke, clearly upset that she was currently the only Ridley in Atlanta. _“Did you forget about me just because I was at school, mom?”_

“No, Charlie,” Fallon spoke right away.

 _“I knew something wasn’t right when Uncle Sam showed up at school to pick me up and took me straight to my favorite ice cream shop,”_ Charlotte continued. _“Not to mention it was quite easy to get him to tell me where you were when I hid his phone,”_ she told her mother. _“How could you do this, mom? How could you leave your own daughter behind? Who does that?”_ She exclaimed.

“We didn’t forget you, we’re not on a vacation and we’re not sightseeing, Charlotte. We only flew here because Olivia had an appointment,” she explained.

 _“Aren’t there doctors here in Atlanta anymore?”_ She countered.

“Hey!” Fallon reprimanded. “Charlotte Grace, you better lose that attitude because that’s no way to talk to your mother!”

 _“You went to Chicago without me!”_ Charlotte exclaimed. _“You know how much I love Chicago!”_

“You love every big city you’ve ever visited, Charlotte, and I’m not amused with that kind of behavior,” she sighed, taking a deep breath when Liam approached her and instantly noticed the heated discussion between Fallon and Charlotte. “We flew here so we could talk to a new doctor about your sister. We just got out of her office and we’ll be flying back home soon,”

 _“That is so not fair,”_ the eight years old groaned. _“You can’t just take Ollie and leave me here all by myself...”_

“Not everything is about you, Charlotte,” Fallon continued. “There was no reason for you to come with us when we’re only here to take Olivia to the doctor,” she told her. “Should I tell Sam to send you to a time out in your room or are you going to talk to your mother properly?” She questioned, her tone serious and even slightly angry. “You two are just as important to me and daddy but _today_ there was no reason to bring you with us. You know your sister needs special care because of how difficult it is to get her to eat and this is why we’re here,”

“What’s going on?” Liam asked.

“Give the phone to Uncle Sam, Charlotte,” she requested.

 _“I will behave, I promise,”_ Charlotte murmured. _“Don’t send me to time out, mom, please,”_

“Did you forget that you should treat your mother with respect?” Fallon questioned. “I don’t remember ever teaching you that it’s okay to use that tone with your parents, or anyone in fact, but _specially_ your parents,” she reached for Liam’s hand, locking her fingers around her husband’s. “Is there something you want to tell me, Charlotte?”

 _“I’m sorry,”_ she whispered.

“Out loud, Charlotte,” Fallon insisted. “I didn’t hear anything,”

 _“I’m sorry, mom,”_ Charlotte repeated.

“Sorry for what?”

 _“For being rude to you,”_ she explained. _“I’m just upset that you didn’t take me,”_

“Is that a reason to talk to your mother like you just did?” Fallon asked.

 _“No, it’s not,”_ she replied. _“I’m sorry, mom. I love you,”_

“I love you too, princess, but I would like you to sit in your bedroom for a little while and think about the way you just talked to me,” she told her daughter. “You’re an amazing girl and you know exactly what’s right and wrong, Charlotte. I didn’t like the way you just lost your temper,”

Fallon let out a frustrated sigh when it hit her how much her daughter’s behavior reminded her of her own. How she snapped at everyone so easily when something didn’t happen the way she wanted and how Liam had been helping her deal with that for over a decade. Everything that had happened in her life, from her parents’ constant fights and her mother abandoning her to all the messy and complicated relationships she had had before Liam, had not only led her into having that kind of behavior but also into thinking it was normal to react like that.

Inevitably, that kind of attitude had developed into a character trait during all those years of constant heartbreak and by the time Fallon realized what a bad trait it was, it was already too late. It was also the last thing she wanted Charlotte to learn from her and she couldn’t help but panic every time her daughter presented that kind of behavior.

 _“It won’t happen again, mom,”_ Charlotte spoke. _“I promise, please don’t be mad,”_

“I’m mad because this is not how you should behave, Charlie,” Fallon explained. “You’re going to think about this outburst of yours and we’re going to talk about it when I get home, okay?”

 _“Okay, mom,”_ she replied. _“Can I at least ask you to bring me a pizza?”_

“How am I supposed to take a pizza from Chicago to Atlanta, Charlotte?”

 _“I’m sure you can bring one in the jet,”_ Charlotte murmured. _“Come on, mom! No one can make deep dish pizza like those Chicago restaurants!”_

“Even if I _could_ take a pizza back to Atlanta, do you think you deserve one after the way you just talked to me?” Fallon questioned.

 _“I don’t,”_ she whispered. _“I will just have whatever Carol prepared for dinner then, that’s okay,”_

“We will probably get home between eight and nine. No Netflix until you’ve eaten, showered and finished your homework,”

 _“I know,”_ Charlotte replied. _“I love you, mom,”_

“I love you too, Charlotte. See you in a couple of hours,”

 _“Bye mom,”_ she added before ending the call.

“What happened?” Liam asked while Fallon put her phone away.

“She decided to tell me we can’t travel with Olivia and leave her at home,” Fallon rolled her eyes. “She raised her voice a couple of times and her usual light and sassy comebacks were quite rude this time,” she told him. “She was clearly upset but she totally snapped, Liam,”

“Don’t, Fallon,” Liam interrupted before she could elaborate. He knew exactly what she was going to say. “Charlotte’s not you, Fal,”

“I’m pretty sure that was exactly how I talked to my parents when I was her age. This is not right, Liam,” she ran a hand nervously through her hair. “Charlotte can’t think it’s okay to treat people like that,”

“Your parents might not have done anything about it when it happened to you but from what I saw here you were pretty firm with her, Fal,” Liam spoke softly. “You called her out on her behavior and you explained why she should never act like this. She’s a great girl but she’s still a kid, babe. They’re bound to make a few mistakes once in a while and our job is to put them back on track by doing exactly what you just did, okay?” He leaned in, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead as he adjusted the sleeping toddler against the right side of his body. “Charlotte may be a small replica of you but we’re both being careful about those flaws of yours, Fal, just like we’re careful about mine. We learned from our mistakes and we’re going to teach them how to be different,”

“I didn’t think this day could get any more exhausting and then Charlotte decides to throw a tantrum on the phone with me,” Fallon sighed. “As if we haven’t gone through enough emotions this afternoon,”

“It happens, Fal. We will talk to her when we get home,” he offered her a smile. “Did she apologize?”

“Yeah, about ten times when she noticed how angry I was. She did ask for a pizza though,”

“I heard that part, yeah,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh. “You told her she didn’t deserve it,”

“Well, she doesn’t,” Fallon shrugged. “She agreed with me that she didn’t deserve it and said she was going to eat whatever Carol made for dinner,”

“I’m not saying I’m on Charlotte’s side but to be honest, a deep dish pizza with extra pepperoni at Giordano’s does sound nice,” he admitted.

“With those endless layers of cheese that melt just perfectly when you get a slice,” she added, moaning as she ran her tongue over her lips.

“I know Charlotte needs some kind of punishment but us having her favorite pizza without her seems a bit too extreme, don’t you think?” Fallon giggled.

“She’s already going to feel bad the whole night for the way she talked to you...” Liam started. “Why don’t we let her sweat for a couple of hours but we still take the pizza to Atlanta?” He suggested. “If our talk with her goes well, we surprise her with the pizza. If it doesn’t, we wait for her to go to bed and then we eat the pizza ourselves,”

“I can’t deny that I’m in the mood for that damn pizza now that she’s mentioned it,” she laughed.

“Let’s get that pizza and Olivia’s ice cream because if she wakes up during the flight and we don’t have one she’s going to freak but can we please head to the airport after that?” Liam asked. “It’s four o’clock already and I don’t want to get home too late,”“Yes, babe,” Fallon placed a kiss on the top of Olivia’s head before reaching for Liam’s hand. “Let’s go home,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Different kind of chapter this time, right?
> 
> A lot of information to take in, I suppose, but I hope you all liked it!!! Let me know what you think!


	25. Father's Day

“It’s okay to get out of the car, you know,” Fallon turned her head slightly to the left, the soft words leaving her lips in the most caring way as she hoped to provide her husband all the comfort he needed that Sunday morning.

“I don’t even remember the last time I was here...” Liam admitted. They had been sitting in the parked car for almost ten minutes and he still had both his hands on the wheel, his fingers gripping the leather material as he stared at a random tree a few feet from the car.

“It’s okay,” Fallon let her left hand rest on his thigh, squeezing it lightly in an attempt of giving him some encouragement to at least relax for a few minutes. “Babe,” she called but he couldn’t seem to take his eyes off the small tree. “Why don’t you take a deep breath?” She suggested, her fingers tracing gentle patterns on/over his dark blue jeans.

“I’m starting to wonder if this was really a good idea, Fallon,” his voice broke, turning into nothing but a whisper.

Fallon was the one that buried her feelings deep inside of her, whether they were good or bad and for years, Liam had always been the one to drag her back to the real world. He had always been to one to offer her his hand when she needed comfort or a hug when she needed the familiar scent of his cologne when she needed a safe harbor.

Liam seemed to always know what to say in every situation and even after five years together, she still couldn’t exactly tell if the words just happened to come easily to him because he was a writer and dealt with them for a living or because it was simply who her husband was, a caring and sweet man that wanted nothing but to see a smile on her face.

“You could have changed your mind before we left the house, before the jet took off or even before we left the hotel an hour ago but you didn’t,” Fallon started. “You could also have chosen any other day to come here but you still chose today... a date that now has a completely different meaning to you,” she turned towards the backseat and glanced at the six months old sleeping soundly in her car seat while holding her light pink stuffed bunny against her chest. “You’re here for a reason, Liam. I didn’t question your wish to come here this weekend because I figured you’d tell me when you were ready but what I do know is that whatever reason you have, it definitely means a lot to you,”

“There’s honestly not much to tell, Fal,” Liam finally let go of the wheel and covered her hand with his, lacing their fingers together as he turned towards her. “I haven’t visited him in a while... years, in fact. So much has happened since the last time I was here,”

“You don’t need to come all the way here to talk to him, Liam,” she offered him a smile. “He’s watching you wherever he is and I’m sure he’s happy and proud of everything you’ve accomplished over the years,”

“He would have loved you, Fal,” Liam let go of her hand and took it to her face, cupping her cheek in a soft gesture. “I’ve lived longer without him than I actually lived _with_ him and while that thought breaks my heart, I know that it’s just how life is and I’ve learned how to deal with it...” He explained. “I missed him like crazy at our wedding and ever since Charlotte was born, not a _day_ goes by that I don’t think of him, Fal,” he confessed. “It’s like you’ve given me the best gift of all last December but there’s still a piece missing. It probably doesn’t even make sense to feel like this, not _now_ at least but,”

“Of course it makes sense, Liam,” Fallon interrupted him mid sentence. “The wedding, Charlotte’s birth... they were all milestones in your life and you wish you could have shared them with him. Of course you’re going to miss him,” she told him. “Not to mention that you’re a dad now and deep down you wish he was here to participate. Not only as her grandfather but as _your father_... watching as you make common and expected mistakes with your first born but also as you enjoy the most wonderful parts of fatherhood,”

“My mother clearly doesn’t care about her,” he murmured. “It’s been six months and she hasn’t even bothered to fly to Atlanta to meet her granddaughter. I would like to think my father would be different, that he would actually want to be a part of her life,”

“I’m sure he would, Liam,” Fallon placed a hand on the back of his neck, leaning forward to give him a quick and delicate peck on the lips. “You were only a teen when he passed away but you have great memories of him. You’ve even shared some of them with me, which makes me believe that John was a great man,” she smiled.

“He had his share of mistakes but yeah, he was,” Liam murmured.

“The fact that John’s no longer here doesn’t mean that he can’t be a part of Charlotte’s life. I would have loved to meet him, Liam. Well, maybe at least one of your parents would have liked me, but I feel like I actually _know_ him because of all those memories you’ve shared with me. If you want him to be a part of her life, all you need to do is tell her about him,” she explained. “Make sure all those wonderful memories of John Lowden are alive in our baby girl because one day, unfortunately, they will start to fade from your mind but they will _always_ have a special place in her heart,”

“This is why I wanted to come here today,” Liam stared deeply into her eyes as he tried to fight against the tears that were trying so hard to leave his. “It’s my first father’s day as a father and after spending so many without him, I wanted to share this one with him by bringing you and Charlotte to meet him. It feels odd to spend the morning of my first father’s day at a cemetery when there are so many places I could be enjoying my baby girl but it also feels right... I don’t know,” he paused, rolling his eyes and letting go of her as he turned back towards the tree. “I can’t really explain,”

“There’s no need to explain anything, babe,” Fallon glanced at the six months old for a quick second before returning to her husband, “I think I should consider myself lucky that I don’t know exactly what you’re feeling because I’ve never been in that position but I understand that you’re emotional and that today might be quite overwhelming for you,” she continued. “That’s enough for me to understand why you wanted to fly here this weekend...”

“I’m glad you’re here,” Liam smiled, locking his fingers in hers before looking up at the rearview mirror to check on his baby girl. “Both of you,”

“There’s nowhere else I would rather be, babe,” Fallon replied, returning his smile as she leaned in for a kiss.

* * *

“Hi dad,” Liam spoke softly, his eyes focused on the gray tombstone while he laid out the flowers they had bought on their way to the cemetery. “It’s been a while,” he added, turning around to glance at his wife and daughter.

“Talk to him,” she whispered.

Fallon was standing a few feet behind him, holding their daughter in her arms as she gave he all the space and privacy he needed.

“I’m sorry I haven’t visited in a while,” Liam continued. “I could say life has been hectic and that I haven’t had that time but we both know I would be lying,” he paused as he tried to figure out exactly what to tell him, or at least where to start since there were so many things he wanted to tell his father. “I’ve told you about Fallon before, remember? Last time I was here...” He murmured. “We had just celebrated our first anniversary together and I’m sure I went on and on talking about her,” he glanced at his wife with a huge grin on his face and she offered him a bright smile in return.

“You probably know that already but it feels like I should tell you about it properly,” he explained. “Fallon and I,” he paused, “we had a little girl last December, dad. I’m a father now too, as scary and frightening as it sounds,” he told him. “Her name is Charlotte and she’s the most precious baby girl in the whole world,” he smiled proudly. “She’s only six months old but she’s so smart and she’s so much like Fallon, dad. I know my wife can be a handful sometimes but you can’t imagine how happy I am that I have a mini version of her,”

Liam paused, looking up at the blue and cloudless sky above them as he wondered why it had taken him so long to go back. As difficult as it was to say everything he was saying to a tombstone and not his father himself, he was starting to feel a kind of closure he hadn’t really felt in years.

“I was firm on my idea of not having kids before we found out about the pregnancy but now I see what I fool I was,” Liam admitted. “She was clearly an accident but dad, I’m so glad Fallon and I screwed up at some point because that little girl brings us so much joy I can barely explain,” he chuckled.

While Blake and Alexis were proving to be quite decent grandparents, it wasn’t exactly a surprise for Liam that his mother showed no interest in Charlotte. Their baby girl had already turned six months old and Laura hadn’t even bothered to send him a text, congratulating him on becoming a father.

“You know I didn’t want kids because of the mess our family was and Fallon comes from the same kind of family... I changed my name for a reason but until Fallon and I got married, Ridley meant nothing more than one of the many middle names you and mom gave me,” he explained. “But Fallon took it after we got married and our Charlotte is actually the first Ridley to be born. She’s changed our lives so much in only a few months and there’s nothing we want more than to give her the lives Fallon and I never had,”

Liam couldn’t be happier for the opportunity of not only sharing that special day with his father but also for having such a meaningful talk with him. The idea of possibly flying up to New York for father’s day had crossed his mind a few times during the past couple of months but when he found out Laura would be spending the month in Capri, he knew it would be the perfect time. He would be able to introduce both Fallon and Charlotte to his father while successfully avoiding his mother.

“Whenever she lets out one of her loud laughs or she snuggles against my chest, it’s like I’m living a dream... one I’ve never even thought I had until she came into our lives,” Liam took a deep breath, trying to contain the tears that were starting to pool in his eyes. “She’s definitely a mama’s girl and we could tell that from the moment she was born because she clings to Fallon in a different way. I can’t explain, dad, but I’m pretty sure she looks at her mother the same way I look at Fallon... like she’s the most important person in the entire world,” he continued. “I love them with all of my heart and knowing that I have two of them now makes me feel even happier. I was pretty happy with Fallon but Charlotte showed us that we knew absolutely nothing about happiness,”

Two years back, if someone had told Liam that was what his life would become, he would have most definitely laughed. He had always been serious regarding his idea of not having children but somewhere along the way, Fallon had showed him that it was possible for them to have a happy and healthy family and having Charlotte only _proved_ him that.

“I’ve been staying at home for good now so I can be with her but can you imagine my crazy workaholic wife now leaves work at five sharp?” Liam couldn’t help but laugh at his own remark. “Sometimes even at four depending on how badly she misses our baby girl and the fact that I have a healthy family now means so much to me, dad. It took me over thirty years but I think Fallon and I can make it right, you know?” He murmured. “We’ve been talking about what we were doing for father’s day for a couple of weeks and I couldn’t really think of anything but sharing this day with you, which is why I finally brought them with me, dad,” he informed him. “It’s been a long time coming for Fallon... even for Charlotte if I’m being honest here, but I want you to meet them. The woman that has turned my life upside down and the baby girl that has melted my heart,”

Liam turned towards them and offered one hand out for Fallon, watching as she took a couple of steps forward to approach him.

“Babe, come here,” he murmured before lacing his fingers in hers to pull her in for a hug. She immediately noticed the tears in his eyes and wrapped her free arm around him, hugging him as tight as she could without crushing Charlotte. “They’re the best thing that has ever happened to me, dad. Aside the fact that I wish you were here, meeting them in person, hugging Fallon and carrying Charlotte in your arms, I wouldn’t change a thing because whatever crazy path I took to get here, it led me to these two girls,”

“Wherever John is right now, I have no doubt he’s extremely proud of you,” Fallon told him. “He knows exactly what kind of man you’ve become and I’m sure he knows that you’re a wonderful dad, babe,” she offered him a smile while taking his hand.

“I just wish he could have met you,” it was almost a whisper as he finally allowed the tears to fall. For some reason, having her by his side, holding his hand and resting her head on his shoulder made him even more emotional.

“Unfortunately, that’s just how life is,” she replied. “He is watching over you and Charlotte, making sure nothing bad ever happens to the two of you and that’s enough for me,” turning her head slightly, she placed a soft kiss on his shoulder hoping it would at least help easing the pain of not having his father on that special day.

* * *

“Are you okay?” Fallon asked, probably for the tenth time that day, as they strolled through Central Park later that afternoon.

“I am,” Liam nodded. “I’m glad we did that,”

“It was exactly what you needed, Liam,” she told him. “I know you miss him even more on this specific date and you always will, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing,”

“No, I don’t think it is… it’s just hard, that’s all,” he admitted.

“Well, while it was important that we all visited your dad this morning, I would like to focus on you now,” Fallon informed. “You love picnics and you love this park so Charlotte and I are going to throw you the best picnic you’ve ever had,”

“You’re right. It should be all about me and Charlie now,” Liam offered her a smile before leaning in to tickle his daughter’s stomach.

“Eh eh!” Charlotte babbled loudly in her mother’s arms, her eyes sparkling at her father’s funny faces.

“Charlotte would also like to give you your present now,” she mentioned, while Liam threw a thin blanket on the grass.

“I told you no gifts, Fal,” he turned towards his wife. “You promised!”

“I know, I know,” Fallon rambled, “but you know I’m not the no gifts kind of person, no matter how much I try,” she rolled her eyes. “We _did_ get you something but it’s not the kind of extravagant gift you’re currently thinking I got you,” she told him. “I promise it’s something meaningful and that you’re going to love,”

“I guess I shouldn’t even waste my time making you promise that you won’t buy any gifts,” Liam murmured while gesturing to the blanket for her to sit down as he opened the picnic basket.

“That’s probably smart, yes,” she giggled. “The gift is inside the basket so maybe you would like to open it before we start eating?” She suggested.

Fallon had just settled Charlotte on the ground but it didn’t take the six months old more than two minutes to start crawling towards her father.

“Eh!” Charlotte screamed, gripping on the edge of the open basket with one hand as she tried to peak inside.

“We’re going to eat soon, princess,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh. “Daddy is just going to check what you and mommy got me for Father’s day, okay?” He reached for the perfectly wrapped box inside the basket. “Can you help daddy?” He asked Charlotte, who immediately stole the box from his hands.

“Careful, baby,” Fallon chuckled.

“Rip it, princess,” Liam held the box out for her after ripping a small piece of the paper.

“Ah! Ah!” Charlotte had just sat down and she kicked her legs in so much excitement while ripping the wrapping paper that she felt backwards.

“Ops,” Fallon reached for her daughter, placing one hand on each side of her body so she could help Charlotte sit back up.

“What is this?” He frowned when he noticed the box inside was totally white. It didn’t have a name or even a single word on it for him to know what was inside.

“Open it,” she replied.

“Oh my god,” Liam gasped when he finally reached for the gift, pulling out a small white hinged dual photo frame.

Opening it, a smile quickly appeared on his lips when he laid his eyes on the photo of Charlotte laughing on the left side, but he could swear his heart melted when he noticed the other side wasn’t meant for a photo and was instead filled with dried clay with Charlotte’s small handprint on it. Under the photo, Fallon had written their daughter’s full name in her own handwriting and under the clay, she had written _“My First Father’s Day”_.

“Fal…” He didn’t even know what to say. Tears were starting to pool in his eyes again and he got even more emotional as he glanced between Fallon and Charlotte.

“I was going to keep my promise and not buy you anything but when I saw this, I knew I had to get it,” Fallon admitted, pulling Charlotte to sit on her lap when the baby girl wouldn’t stop trying to climb on her mother’s body.

“This is perfect, babe,” Liam scooted closer to them. “I love it so much,” he spoke before leaning in for a kiss. “Thank you, Fal,” he whispered between kisses, “and thank you, princess,” he spoke softly, burying his head on her chest with the main purpose of covering her with kisses. “I love you more than anything in the world, Charlotte,”

“She loves you right back, Liam,” Fallon ran a hand through his hair while Liam continued to kiss her. She was probably going to run out of air soon due to all the kisses and tickles from her father but for a moment, all they wanted was to enjoy their daughter’s soft, loud and adorable laughs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... this was probably different from anything I've ever posted here but I still hope you like it!
> 
> It was definitely a roller coaster of emotions for Liam. Let me know what you think!!


	26. New York, New York

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was actually inspired by the Disney chapter so I hope you like the visual content and the story below! 
> 
> Also, I should probably warn you this is 33k long, which is pretty much 75 word pages. Enjoy!!!

Check out this story's [**visual content**](https://hillaryscotts.tumblr.com/post/622375680320110593/charlotte-ridley-takes-new-york-city-featuring).

**.**

**FRIDAY**

“Wow, this is crazy!” Charlotte exclaimed, her eyes wide open in surprise as they walked towards the sidewalk hand in hand.

“Alright, Miss Ridley,” Liam turned towards the five years old, “here’s the deal,”

Crouching down in front of Charlotte, he looked at their surroundings for a moment before facing her again. The pedestrians on W 59th St were clearly in a hurry, walking in different directions as they rushed to start their day. Some of them carried briefcases, others spoke to someone on their air pods while others jogged on the sidewalk closest to the park.

It was definitely a different routine and something that Charlotte had never really seen first hand. Every five minutes a different town car or yellow cab parked in front of the hotel, getting the employees to run up and down the few steps between the sidewalk and the entrance to provide the guests the best service they could get from a five stars hotel.

While one of the bellhops opened the car door and welcomed the guest to The Plaza, a second one was already in moving the guests’ suitcases and luggage into the hotel before the polite man dressed in an impeccable black suit greeted them as soon as they walked through the revolving doors and reached the lobby.

“When mommy is here, it’s all about town cars, fancy restaurants, Fifth Ave and Bergdorf but it’s just you and me this time,” Liam stared deep into the blue eyes he loved so much, “and I’m going to show you what this city is really all about,”

“Excuse me!” A tall dark haired man exclaimed as he bypassed them, trying to get to the nearest subway station as fast as possible.

“Stay close to the stairs, princess,” Liam took a few steps to his left, pulling Charlotte with him so they would stay in the far left of the sidewalk - away from all the crazy pedestrians.

“What’s going on with these people?” Charlotte threw him a puzzled look.

“Welcome to New York, Charlotte,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh at her bewildered face. Looking around one more time, she tightened the grip of her hands on the pink straps of her glitter backpack and took a step closer to her father, “it’s crazy and it’s a mess but you’re going to love it,”

“We’re ridding the _subway_?” Charlotte murmured horrified, stopping abruptly when she noticed they were heading towards the stairs that led to the 5 Avenue subway station.

“It’s the fastest way to get downtown, princess,” Liam replied.

“No,” Charlotte whispered, “I don’t really like that idea, no...” she stopped walking, shaking her head as she kept staring at the stairs.

“I wasn’t aware Fallon had come with us,” Liam let go of her small hand for a minute and crossed his arms in front of his chest, “I thought this was a daddy and daughter’s trip,”

“Mommy says there are a lot more people than it should even be allowed in such a small space and there are also a lot of germs and unpleasant human beings,” Charlotte told him.

“Unpleasant human beings?” Liam couldn’t help but laugh.

“If there are too many people in such a small space then it’s safe to assume they bump into you, lean against you or even worst, step on your feet,” Charlotte threw her arms up in the air, “and I’m wearing my brand new Dolce & Gabbana shoes, daddy,” she glanced down at the pink and white sneakers on her feet.

“We can walk, if you want,” Liam shrugged.

“How far is it?” She questioned.

“About five miles,”

“Which means...” she added while waiting for a more suitable answer.

“A two hours walk perhaps,” Liam continued.

“ _Again,_ ” Charlotte pointed at her feet, “brand new Dolce & Gabbana shoes, daddy,”

“Well, since your mom packed your suitcase for the New York Fashion Week, why don’t we stop by at Nike and get you some comfortable sneakers so we can start sightseeing?” Liam suggested.

“If you want to wear those ugly and boring shoes, it’s your choice,” she shrugged, glancing down at his black sneakers, “but these perfectly made and precious feet are not getting inside of that,”

“I’m sure your Dolce & Gabbana sneakers are very comfortable for sightseeing and I’ll make sure no one steps on them so they get back to the hotel as white as they are right now, okay?” Liam spoke softly. “So we don’t really need to pay Nike a visit but all daddy is asking is for one ride,” he ran his hand through her hair, “if you hate it so much, we won’t ride it anymore but this should be _your_ decision, Charlotte, not your mom’s,”

* * *

“That was so cool!” Charlotte jumped in excitement as they exited the subway station. “We went underground, rode a fast train and suddenly...” she paused, “next stop... Whitehall Street,” she laughed, repeating the words from the subway’s recording lady, “and now we’re here! All the way downtown and almost at the end of the island... that is _so_ interesting,”

“See? Maybe you shouldn’t believe everything your mom tells you,” Liam laughed at how adorable she looked all excited. “How are your shoes?” He reached for one of her hands so they could cross the street towards Battery Park.

“Surprisingly white, I must admit,” the five years old checked them carefully for any dirty spot.

“So you also admit that the subway is not that bad?” Liam asked.

“It’s quite okay for a type of public transportation,” Charlotte shrugged. “It was fast, that nice lady offered me her seat and then there was that guy playing that funny instrument for money,” she described.

“You should tell your mom that, maybe she will ride it with us sometime,” Liam suggested.

“Mommy will _never_ ride the subway, daddy,” she laughed. “Her designer outfits, expensive heels and perfect hair have no place in public transportation,” she explained.

“You saw for yourself that it’s not that bad. Who knows? Maybe she will give it a second thought if you tell her it was actually quite fun,”

“That’s because I’m half you, dad,” Charlotte rolled her eyes, “but mom is...” she paused, trying to come up with a good word, “well, mom is all mom so don’t expect her to ever ride in one of those,”

“You should still tell her how much you enjoyed it though,”

“I will,” she nodded. “What are we doing all the way down here anyway?” She asked as they reached the end of Battery Park, walking down the trail that led to the river.

“We’re going there,” Liam pointed to the green statue standing tall in one of the islands

“Are we going to see the Statue of Liberty, daddy?” Her eyes widened in excitement.

“We are!” He replied.

“That’s so cool!”

“We’re going to take the ferry and there will be lots of tourists so make sure you stand by my side at all times,” he ran a hand softly through her hair. “You’re a big girl, right?”

“Yes, daddy!” Charlotte exclaimed, turning around to look at the statue again. “I’m turning six in two months, remember?” She pushed herself on her tiptoes and held onto the wooden bar on top of the protection grid, glancing at the water right below her before looking up to admire the beautiful view in front of her.

“Please, don’t remind me how fast you’re growing,” Liam chuckled. “I don’t want to sound annoying, Charlie, but I have to be serious here. Can you look at me?” He asked, placing his hands on her waist so he could turn her. “I know Atlanta is a big city as well but New York is very different, princess. We’ve visited plenty of times but this is the first time you are actually sightseeing,” he explained, crouching down in front of her so he could talk to her eye to eye. “I want to show you places that have some kind of meaning to me back from the time I lived here but I know you want to go to all the famous places too. These touristic places are usually very crowded though and I don’t even want to _think_ about you possibly getting lost,”

“I won’t leave your side, daddy,” she replied, wrapping her arms around his neck as she stared deeply into his blue eyes. “I promise,” she smiled.

“You’ve seen what the subway looks like and we’re probably going to ride it a lot for the next couple of days,” he continued. “I’m going to be holding your hand most of the time and sometimes I might even carry you, princess, but that’s for your safety, okay?” She nodded. “I know it sucks to be attached to me all the time so I’m going to let you wander and walk by yourself when we’re walking through calmer and emptier streets, okay?”

“Okay, daddy,” Charlotte replied. “I don’t want to get lost either,”

“If you see something you like, you tell me and we will go together. Under no circumstances may you walk away from me, Charlie,”

“I understand, dad. I promise I will behave,”

“Alright, let’s go check Miss Liberty then,” Liam offered his hand out for Charlotte and the little girl quickly laced her fingers around his father’s, jumping up and down in excitement as they headed towards the boarding line.

“Can I use your phone to take photos?” She asked.

“Not while we’re in the ferry, princess,” he replied. “You tend to be a bit clumsy sometimes and I don’t want my iPhone to end up at the bottom of the river,”

“I can be careful, dad,” Charlotte reassured him.

“Not in the ferry, Charlie,” Liam spoke firmly. “Why don’t _I_ take photos of you while we’re in the ferry?” He suggested. “I will give it to you once we reach the island and you can take as many photos as you want,”

“Alright,” she nodded, “but you have to use your best photography skills, daddy! I’m on instagram now and I need my photos to look amazing!” She exclaimed.

“Do you want to sit in here or outside?” Liam asked once they boarded the statue cruise’s ferry.

“Outside, please,” Charlotte requested. “Oh my god, daddy, I don’t know my instagram’s password!” She placed her palm on her cheek, gasping as she stared up at her father in panic. “How am I going to keep my followers updated on our father and daughter’s trip?”

“We can call mom and I’m sure she will share the password with me, princess,” Liam laughed, rolling his eyes playfully. “Don’t worry, okay?” He placed his hand on her shoulder so they could walk up the stairs.

“That’s not how it works, daddy!” She turned towards him.

“Charlie, focus on the stairs for a moment so you don’t fall,” he requested. “There are people behind me so let’s just find us a place to seat and we can discuss your instagram once we’re settled,”

“Dad, you don’t understand,”

“Princess, we will talk about it in a couple of minutes, okay?” Liam insisted. “Unless you want to stay down here?” He asked in a serious tone.

“I want to go all the way up, dad! So I can see everything,” she replied.

“Then keep walking,”

“Okay, sorry,” Charlotte spoke before turning her attention back to the stairs. She was silent the whole way up but as soon as they were sitting down, she decided to continue their talk about her social network account. “The problem here is that mom’s not going to give you the password, daddy,”

“Why is that, Charlie?” Liam asked, a confused frown on his face.

“Because, daddy,” she started. “My account is a side account to _hers_ ,” she told him, “and you think mom is going to give you her password?” She shook her head. “Oh I don’t think so!”

“Maybe she will if we ask her nicely,” he mentioned.

“A woman needs her privacy, daddy,” Charlotte commented. “You can’t just ask mom for her instagram’s password. That’s not polite,”

“Are you saying your mom keeps secrets from me through her instagram, Miss Ridley?” Liam questioned.

“I’m not saying anything, daddy. You came up with that idea yourself,” the five years old shrugged. “I’m innocent here,”

“Charlie...” He murmured. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Mom has nothing to hide, dad. You don’t ever have to worry about that,” Charlotte informed here. “You don’t have to act so jealous because mommy loves you,”

“Well, if mommy’s not hiding anything… I guess there’s a way we can access your account,”

“There _is_?” Her eyes sparkled.

“Yes, princess,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh. “She can send me the e-mail and the password to your account and we can access it from mine,” he explained. “So we won’t need mommy’s password after all,”

“Did you just trick me, dad?” Charlotte questioned, crossing her arms against her chest.

“Maybe…” He rolled his eyes. “Why don’t you focus on the ferry ride now? I will take some photos of you and later this afternoon we can talk to mom about instagram,”

“Okay!” She replied while jumping off her seat. “How is my hair, dad?”

“Perfect, princess,” Liam chuckled.

“It’s so pretty!” Charlotte exclaimed as the ferry moved away from Manhattan. “So many tall buildings!”

“I love the view from the statue but you should see the Manhattan skyline from Williamsburg,” he mentioned. “It’s definitely my favorite,”

“What’s a skyline, daddy?” She asked, looking up at him while keeping both ends on the edge of the ferry.

“It’s the outline of the buildings defined against the sky, baby. Just like you’re seeing now,” Liam exclaimed. “You can see the south of Manhattan in front of you, right now. To your right, you can see Brooklyn, which is another neighborhood of New York and to your left, you can see Jersey City, which is another city and even another state,”

“Another _state_?” Charlotte’s jaw fell in shock.

“Yes,” he giggled. “The Hudson river is half New Jersey and half New York… we’re actually going to New Jersey right now because the statue is on their side of the river,”

“How long is this ferry ride, dad?” She frowned. “That statue seemed far but it didn’t seem _that_ far,”

“It shouldn’t take us more than ten minutes to arrive, Charlie,” he told her.

“We can go to another _state_ in ten minutes?”

“Well, twenty minutes since we’re halfway there,”

“This is so crazy, dad!” Charlotte’s eyes were still wide at everything she was learning during that ferry ride.

“That’s normal when the city is close to the state border, princess,” Liam explained. “There are actually a lot of people that live in New Jersey and work in New York, for example… because it’s cheaper to live there and the suburbs are also really nice if you want to have a quiet and bigger home away from the city,”

“Like our house?” She asked. “We don’t live that close to the city,”

“Like that, yeah,” he nodded. “We still live in Atlanta but it’s something like the suburbs, yes,”

“That’s very interesting,” she commented. “Can you take a photo of me staring at the skyline?”

“Of course,” Liam took his iPhone out of his pocket and stood behind Charlotte so he could capture his daughter from the waist up and the beautiful skyline ahead them, contrasting with the cloudless blue sky.

“Are we going to that William place, dad?” Charlotte asked, turning around so he could snap some photos of her looking at the camera as well. “I want to see the skyline from there too,”

“Williamsburg, Charlie,” he couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh as he corrected her. “Yes, we can go there. The Smorgasburg happens every Saturday on the Williamsburg waterfront so we can go there tomorrow,” he suggested.

“Smorgs what?” She frowned.

“Smorgasburg, princess. It’s an open-air food market… they have burgers, pizza, ice cream and a bunch of other food and you can sit on the ground and watch the skyline as you eat and chat with your friends and family,” Liam told her.

“If the skyline is as pretty as you say it is and there’s food involved, you can definitely count me in!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“We’re having breakfast with your grandmother tomorrow morning but I guess we can go there for lunch,” he told her.

“Grandma Laura?” She asked.

“Yes, she had an opening in her schedule tomorrow at nine,” he informed. “You haven’t seen her in a while,”

“That’s because she doesn’t visit us, daddy. Why do _we_ have to visit her?” Liam couldn’t exactly blame Charlotte for being so unattached to her paternal grandmother because he knew whose fault it was. “She doesn’t care about us,”

“Just because Laura makes mistakes, it doesn’t mean that we have to make the same ones, Charlie,” he replied. “I really wish my mother would show more interest in you and Olivia but that’s up to her… if she doesn’t want to be a part of your lives, that’s her loss. I just don’t want to act like _she_ does and since we’re here, it’s only fair that we have at least one meal with her,” he explained.

“Okay. What about your dad? Can we visit him too, daddy?” Charlotte asked. “I know he’s a star up there in the sky but you once said he’s in a cemetery?”

“It’s a bit far from the city but yes, we can go there if you want,”

“I think we should take him flowers, dad. If we’re meeting with grandma Laura, I want to make sure we visit grandpa John too,” the five years old requested, making Liam more emotional than he actually thought he would be by talking about his father.

“We will pay him a visit then,” Liam mentioned. “Now we better start heading down because we’re getting close to the island and it’s going to take forever for us to get out if we need to wait for everyone to leave,”

“Wow, dad, Miss Liberty is huge!” Charlotte threw her head back so she could look at the green statue right above them. “I’m so excited!” She jumped up and down a couple of times before taking her father’s hand. “Can we record a video of us for mom and Ollie?”

“Of course, princess,” he offered her a smile. “We can record one with the statue in the background,”

“Yeah! I like that, daddy,” she nodded in agreement before they started making their way down the stairs.

* * *

_“Hi babe,”_ Fallon’s voice echoed around them as her face appeared on the screen of Liam’s phone. Extending his arm as much as he could, he leaned the screen slightly downwards so he could capture both him and Charlotte with the front camera. _“Hi princess,”_

“Hi mommy,” Charlotte murmured, waving at her with her free hand while taking another bite of her hot dog. When she finally looked up at the screen, there were traces of mustard and ketchup all over her nose and cheeks and Fallon couldn’t help but laugh.

 _“Where are you?”_ Fallon asked.

“Battery Park,” Liam replied, “we just got back from the statue,”

 _“Oh that sounds like fun! Did you like it, Charlotte?”_ Fallon stood up from the bed, holding the screen in front of her as she headed towards the hallway.

“It was so cool, mommy!” Charlotte exclaimed. “She’s so tall and green,” she added as Liam ran a napkin softly over her face.

 _“Shouldn’t you be having lunch? It’s almost one,”_ she mentioned before stepping into their youngest daughter’s bedroom.

“We are,” Charlotte smiled, “show her daddy,”

Liam held the phone up high so Fallon could see the hotdogs, pretzels and bags of potato chips sitting between them on the bench along with two large sodas.

 _“Liam Ridley, are you seriously giving Charlotte food cart’s lunch?”_ Fallon sent him a disapproving glare.

“She was hungry,” Liam shrugged.

 _“And every single restaurant in New York just happened to be closed?”_ She countered.

“This is _so_ good, mom!” Charlotte exclaimed, biting on the pretzel right in front of the camera. “You want some?” She offered but Fallon only shook her head. “It was ready in less than five minutes and daddy spent like twenty bucks... for _both_ of us!” She spoke excitedly.

 _“How exactly is that a_ good _thing, Miss Ridley?”_ Fallon frowned.

“It’s delicious,” the five years old replied before taking a sip of her coke, “daddy said he was never able to make you eat with him no matter how many times you two came to New York,” she told her mother, “it would be very impolite of me to say no if I’ve never tasted it before,”

 _“Are you saying I’m impolite, Charlotte?”_ She threw her daughter a glare through the camera.

“No, no, no,” Charlotte shook her head fast, trying to think of some quick reply, “you’re just too fancy and picky, that’s all,” she shrugged, “because daddy’s right, this food really is good,”

“Are you done, princess?” Liam reached for the empty plastic bags, the aluminum foil from the hotdogs and the dirty napkins and threw them in the trashcan a few feet from them.

“I’m just showing her _my_ New York, babe,” Liam told his wife, “it’s okay to have a hot dog once in a while,”

 _“Oh my god, you’re trying to make Charlotte more like you!”_ Fallon exclaimed, her eyes wide as her phone fell inside the crib when she reached for Olivia. _“Oh you’re in trouble,”_ she continued, holding the two months old against her chest before grabbing her phone.

“Have you ever considered that maybe she is more like me than you think?” Liam pulled Charlotte to sit on his legs and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder while hugging her tightly, mostly to tease Fallon.

 _“Yeah, she might have a few traces of you,”_ Fallon rolled her eyes, _“but she’s still my mini me,”_

“Fallon, the girl was scared to ride the subway in those new Gucci shoes you bought her,” he started, only to get interrupted by Charlotte.

 _“Dolce & Gabbana, daddy,”_ Charlotte corrected him, _“my dress is Gucci,”_

 _“You took her to the subway?!”_ Fallon would have screamed if she hadn’t just taken Olivia in her arms.

“My point here is that she is sightseeing in designer clothes even though she’s scared to get her shoes dirty,” Liam explained. “She may have ridden the subway and eaten a hot dog but I’m sure I’m still walking with a mini Fallon over here,” he laughed, “she _is_ half me, you know, it’s not like you made her all by yourself,”

 _“Well, I do have your little one here,”_ she raised her phone so they could see the two months old lying against her chest. _“Do you think she will be interested in going shopping tomorrow? I think I need to buy some diamonds, probably a new car too,”_

“Oh no, she has blonde hair and she’s _totally_ a daddy’s girl,” Liam countered. “This one right here is the perfect company for buying diamonds,” he pointed at Charlotte.

“Are you two seriously arguing about which daughter is mommy’s and which is daddy’s?” Charlotte looked between them. “You two are _crazy_ ,” she laughed, “and what does Olivia’s hair has to do with anything, dad?” She asked confused.

“I’m just saying that she looks more like me but we love you and your sister just the same, princess,” Liam turned his head towards Charlotte, “but mommy gets all mama bear when it comes to you and I know you’re just like her because I love that about you... I love that my daughter is a replica of her mom because your mom is the love of my life and she may be a little crazy but she’s one of the most amazing women I’ve ever met,” he explained. “We just like to tease each other, Charlie. That’s all,”

 _“I’m happy you are enjoying New York, baby,”_ Fallon added. _“Riding the subway and eating street food shows me that you are indeed your daddy’s daughter but I didn’t need you two to go all the way to New York to know that,”_ she told her. _“Your kindness, your huge heart and your amazing people skills have proved me that you are a piece of him ever since you were born, princess,”_ she offered them a smile.

“I am, mom,” Charlotte replied. “Dad is going to show me everything about New York,” she leaned back, resting her head on his shoulder as she enjoyed her father’s embrace. “I wish you and Ollie were here too but I’m having a lot of fun with daddy,”

 _“I promise we will all go once Olivia is a bit older, okay?”_ Fallon suggested.

“Okay,” she nodded. “I got Ollie the cutest teddy bear though! He can stay up on his own, he’s wearing the same clothes and the crown and also he’s holding the torch, just like the Statue of Liberty, mom!” She spoke in excitement.

 _“You hear that, baby?”_ She asked the two months old, tilting her phone a little bit so Charlotte could see her baby sister nursing. _“Your sister got you a gift, pumpkin,”_ she ran her hand softly through Olivia’s light hair.

“She doesn’t look that excited, mom,” Charlotte murmured, a bit upset. “I even got my own money to buy her a gift…” She looked down at her feet.

 _“Liv is just eating, princess,”_ Fallon replied right away. _“She’s too young to understand what you’re saying but I’m sure she will love that teddy bear. It’s a present from her big sister and we all know how much she loves you, right?”_

“You really think Ollie will like it, mom?”

 _“Of course she will, Charlie!”_ She smiled brightly. _“She might be a bit too young now so we might use it to decorate her room for a while, but in a few months I’m sure you two will be playing together with this teddy bear,”_ she told her daughter.

“Can we put it right next to her crib so she can look at it every night?” Charlotte asked.

 _“We can, princess,”_ Fallon nodded. _“Make sure you take photos and write down all the places that you love the most so we can take Olivia to them when we all go to New York together… can you do that?”_ She suggested.

“Yes!” She exclaimed. “Speaking about photos… I’m going to need my instagram’s password, mom,”

 _“You’re not allowed to have that password, baby,”_ Fallon informed her. _“At least not until your dad and I decide you’re old enough to have it,”_

“I don’t mind. I understand that only you can know because my safety is more important than anything,” Charlotte told her. “Daddy can know it though, right? Since he’s my dad and all…”

 _“Yes, your dad can have the password,”_ she nodded. _“I will text him the password once I’m done with Olivia, okay?”_

“Okay,”

 _“As long as you tell me what the rules are…”_ Fallon added.

“No stories, only posts,” the five years old started. “I can’t post any photo that shows my face and daddy has to approve every single one before I add it to my timeline,” she explained.

 _“What else, princess?”_ Liam asked.

“I can suggest a caption for the photo but daddy will write it the way he sees fit since I’m only five… almost six though, but still five,” Charlotte continued.

 _“Very well, Charlie,”_ Fallon offered her a smile. _“I’m going to hang up now so I can focus on this little one, okay? Talk tonight?”_

“Of course,” Liam replied. “I will give you a call once we’re back to the hotel,”

 _“Perfect. Keep me sending those photos of you two,”_ she requested. _“I loved that one of Charlotte on your shoulders as you stood right in front of the statue,”_

“The guy offered to lie on the floor just to get the whole statue in the photo, mom!” Charlotte told her.

 _“That was really nice of him because it turned out a beautiful photo,”_ she replied. _“I’m really happy you two are having fun. Love you, babe. Love you, princess,”_

“We love you, mom!” She spoke before blowing her mother a kiss.

“Love you, Fal,” Liam added before ending the facetime call.

* * *

“Can I get your order or do you still need a few minutes?” The waitress asked as she approached their table.

“We’re ready,” Charlotte announced.

“We’d both like the All-American burger,” Liam started. “Both of them with bacon and the house salad,” he told her.

“We’d also like this Idaho Fries and onion rings, please,” the five years old requested.

“What sauce would you like with them?” She asked the little girl.

“Hmm,” Charlotte glanced back at the menu. She had learned how to read at a very young age due to all the encouragement from her parents but sometimes it took her a while to read and understand all the words on a page.

“The truffle mayo sounds nice,” Liam suggested.

“Yeah, it does,” she nodded in agreement. “Truffle mayo and Texas barbecue, please,” she asked the waitress.

“Any drinks?”

“Is it true that this Crazyshake comes with cotton candy and a lollipop?” Charlotte questioned.

“It is,” the waitress couldn’t help but laugh.

“Can I order one, daddy?” She turned towards her father with puppy eyes, staring at him from across the table as she begged him for the milkshake.

“Princess, I think we’ve ordered enough junk food for one meal…” Liam began. “Why don’t you order an iced tea or a lemonade?” He tried.

“I’ve never seen this kind of milkshake in all my life, dad. Please!” Charlotte insisted. “Pretty please!”

“Well, bring her that shake,” he asked the waitress. “I know better than to try to fight against those blue eyes,” he chuckled. “And a Brooklyn Lager for me, please,”

“Are we going to see anything else today, dad?” She asked once the waitress excused herself.

“I was hoping to take you to Times Square after dinner,” Liam replied. “Do you think you can stay awake for a couple of hours so we can enjoy the craziness of Times Square after dinner?” He asked.

“You mean staying up past my bedtime?” Charlotte’s eyes sparkled in excitement.

“Well, it’s Friday night and we’re on vacation so...” He shrugged. “What do you say we stay up until midnight?” He asked, laughing when he noticed Charlotte’s jaw dropping to the floor and her eyes widening. His daughter was so in shock Liam even had time to reach for his phone and take a photo of her as she stood completely still. He just couldn’t be sure whether all that excitement and surprise were coming from his suggestion or the french fries and onion rings their waitress had just placed on the table.

“Take a look at this,” Liam mentioned while turning the screen towards the five years old.

“Oh my god, dad! Delete that!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“Come on, you look adorable,” he couldn’t stop laughing.

“I look _horrible_ ,” she groaned. “You’re defaming your own daughter with a photo like that...”

“Where did you even learn that word, Charlotte?” Liam chuckled while reaching for one onion ring before dipping it in the barbecue sauce.

“Mom said something about someone defaming her image on social media a couple of weeks ago,” she replied.

“Of course it was your mom,” he rolled his eyes.

“Please, daddy,” Charlotte insisted.

“I’m just going to send it to your mom,” Liam told her. “She deserves to see that face,”

“Well, it’s probably already in the cloud anyway,” she shrugged before stuffing her mouth with french fries. “This truffle mayo is pretty good indeed, dad. Nice choice,”

“They’re not going to run away from the bowl, princess. You can eat one at a time, okay?” He suggested.

“I’m hungry!”

“I know but you still have your burger, your salad and that cotton shake you begged me for,” Liam reminded her, “which you’re not going to take a single sip of if you don’t eat your entire salad so maybe you want to keep some room for them?”

“Well, maybe I shouldn’t eat more than one onion ring but these fries are delicious, daddy,” Charlotte told him. “Besides, if we’re really staying up until midnight, I have to make sure my stomach is full so my body can stay wide awake!” She danced on her seat, shaking her body from one side to the other as she ate more french fries. “This is so exciting! I only get to stay up until that late on New Year’s and Super Bowl day...”

“You fell asleep on me last Super Bowl,” he countered.

“That doesn’t count because I was extremely tired that day,” she rolled her eyes at him.

“All-American burger and house salad,” the waitress spoke before setting the food in front of them. “Your milkshake is coming, okay?”

“Okay!”

“Did you like the places we visited today, princess?” Liam asked, taking a sip of his beer before reaching for his burger.

“I did,” Charlotte nodded before taking a bit of her burger. “I loved riding the ferry to see the Statue of Liberty and going all the way to the top in the One World Observatory!” She exclaimed. “The story of the building is very sad though... as nice as that view was, those people didn’t deserve that, daddy,”

“They didn’t, princess, which is why they built a memorial right where it happened. So people can honor everyone that passed away that day,” he explained. “It’s something really important about this city’s history and one day I can tell you more about what happened and how we’ve all changed the way we see life after it happened,” he told her. “You’re still too young to go to the museum and learn all about it but when you get older, I will take you there, okay?”

“Okay, daddy,” she replied in agreement.

“What else did you like about today, Charlie?” He asked, trying to change the subject as quick as possible.

Liam knew his daughter was a curious girl and he wouldn’t be surprised if she started asking all kind of questions about that day. He also knew he wouldn’t be able to hide that specific part of history from her for too long but he still wasn’t ready to talk to her about what had really happened to their country that day.

“I liked Wall Street!” Charlotte exclaimed. “That bull was crowded though! I couldn’t see a thing!”

“Well, the Charging Bull is famous for being crowded and having tourists all around it all day long,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh.

“At least I had a chance to take a photo with the Fearless Girl in front of the New York Stock Exchange,” she mentioned.

“If you really want to be a business woman like your mom when you grow up, you’re going to learn a lot about what happens there,” he told her. “That girl is there to show everyone that girls can do it too,”

“Of course they can! Mom is the best business woman I know, daddy!”

“She sure is,” Liam chuckled. “Oh dear god,” he groaned once the waitress returned with Charlotte’s milkshake, placing the huge dessert between them.

“Wow babe!” Charlotte exclaimed in total shock. “That’s all mine?!” She looked up at her father with wide eyes.

“Fallon is going to kill me,” he murmured to himself while running a hand through his hair. “That’s the only thing I can be certain about at this point,”

“Now you can take a photo, dad! We have to save this because no one will believe I actually had a milkshake like this,” she was still in total awe as she stared at the tall glass filled to the brim with strawberry milkshake. It had vanilla frosted rim with blue, pink & pearl chocolates around the upper half of the glass and on top of it all, there was a large pink lollipop, blue and pink rock candy, whipped cream & cotton candy.

“I don’t even think you _should_ have all of that, princess,” Liam advised her. “Hey!” He exclaimed when she tried to reach for the glass before he could take the photo. “Careful not to drop it before I can snap the photo, Charlie,”

“I’m so excited!” Charlotte shook her legs under the table. She just couldn’t wait to taste her milkshake.

“We agreed that you needed to eat your entire salad in order to have this shake, baby,” he reminded her. “I don’t mind if you leave the french fries and even your burger but I want you to eat the whole salad...”

“I will eat the salad and the burger, okay?” Charlotte suggested. “I don’t think I want any more fries though...” She murmured. To be honest, most of the french fries and the onion rings were already gone but she was still halfway through her burger and she had barely touched her house salad.

“That’s okay, Charlotte. I care about the salad and the meat, alright? You might be a foodie but there’s only so much that can fit in that small stomach of yours,” Liam giggled. “If it’s too much, just take one of the buns off and eat the meat with cheese with your salad,”

“Can I do that?” She questioned.

“Excuse me, please,” he raised his hand while calling out for the waitress in charge of their table. “Could you bring us an extra plate, please?” He requested.

“Of course,” she offered them a smile and returned less than a minute later with a white porcelain plate. “Here,”

“Thank you,” Liam replied. “Let me help you, princess,”

Reaching for her burger, Liam removed the top and bottom bun and placed the burger on the left side of the plate. He then grabbed the small bowl and held it over the plate so he could put the rest of her salad right next to her half eaten burger.

“I’m going to order some water for you as well but please go easy on that shake, Charlotte,” Liam spoke while sliding the plate across the table. “I don’t want you feeling bad when our trip is just starting but next time let’s go easy on the amount of food we order, alright? I know you’re excited but we can’t let food go to waste, princess,”

“I’m sorry, dad. I was so hungry but now I’m kind of full actually,” Charlotte said before taking some salad to her mouth. “Speaking about Wall Street...” She paused, using her fork to grab some more lettuce and a piece of the burger. “Mom loved the photo you took me under the street sign at the corner of Broadway and Wall Street,”

“When did she get that photo, Miss Ridley?” He frowned.

“I sent it to her when you were in the shower,” she shrugged. “What?” She asked. “I was bored and you were taking so long... so I called mom,” she told him. “You’re always saying I should be an actress because I’m sassy but I want to be a business woman like mom! She couldn’t stop laughing about the photo,”

“Come on, it was a great idea,” Liam laughed.

“It was. Mom said it was really smart to have me under those signs, staring up at them with a puzzled and confused look,” Charlotte explained. “Even though I’m not confused at all. It was just for the photo,”

“All of your photos at Wall Street turned out great, princess,” he told her. “I mean, all the hundreds of photos we took today turned out great,” he giggled.

They left the restaurant about an hour later, once they were both done with dinner. Charlotte had managed to eat her burger and salad but couldn’t only drink half of her milkshake. As much as she wanted to eat everything, she ended up leaving most of the candy untouched so she could at least drink the entire strawberry shake itself.

“Are we walking to Times Square?” Charlotte asked when they stepped back on W 55th Street.

“It’s not that far, I promise,” Liam replied while pulling the zipper of her jacket all the way up to protect her from the chilly wind. “However, Times Square is probably one of the most crowded places in all of New York, princess,”

“I won’t let go of your hand, dad,” she told him.

“Stay as close as you can to me and hold my hand tight, okay?” She nodded.

“Let’s go then,” reaching for her hand, he laced their fingers together before turning left to head to 7th Avenue.

“Dad, can we visit one of these souvenir’s shops?” Charlotte asked while they walked down the avenue in the direction of New York’s most famous place.

“We can but not tonight, Charlie,” Liam replied. “There are stores like this all over the city so we can visit them some other day, okay?” He suggested. “It’s past nine already and don’t you think I’ve noticed those yawns you’re trying so hard to hide from me?”

“I wasn’t yawning,” the five years old rolled her eyes. “I was... exercising my jaw so I could eat everything,” she shrugged.

“What does that even mean, Charlotte?” He couldn’t help but laugh.

“It wasn’t a yawn,” she lied.

“It’s okay if you’re tired, baby. We’ve been sightseeing all day long,”

“I admit I might be a little tired but I want to stay up until midnight, daddy!” Charlotte exclaimed, jumping on the sidewalk as they waited to cross W 49th Street. “Oh my god, look at all those lights!” Her eyes sparkled and she didn’t even know where to look.

There were huge shinny screens everywhere, changing whatever they were playing every couple of seconds and illuminating the street as if the sun was still up in the sky. As soon as the small white man appeared on the yellow sign, people started crossing the street in every direction possible and Liam tightened the grip on her hand even more. She was so lost in the screens above them she didn’t even notice a man walking in the opposite direction in a bit of a hurry.

“Sorry, man!” Charlotte exclaimed after bumping into his leg. “Ouch!” She groaned when a woman rushed past her, hitting her arm with her large Prada handbag without noticing. “Dad, I’m scared,” she admitted as soon as they reached the other sidewalk.

“Come here,” he stopped walking for a moment and lifted her off the floor, settling her against the right side of his body while she wrapped her legs tightly around him. “This way you can look up as much as you want without bumping into anyone,”

“Dad! Is that a M&M’s store?” She screamed when she recognized the five colorful circles, each one a different M&M, outside the corner store across the avenue. “They have their _own_ store in New York?”

“They have one in Orlando too, princess. You’ve been there a couple of times,”

“I don’t remember ever visiting an entire store _just_ for M&M’s, dad!” Charlotte panicked. “We can go there tonight, right?”

“Well, you weren’t even four years old last time we visited M&M’s World in Orlando,” Liam mentioned. “We did fly down to Florida last year but we only visited the parks, not the malls,”

“We have to go inside, dad!” She insisted. “I can already see how pretty it is! Can you imagine what it looks like from the inside?”

“Why don’t we walk around Time Square for a little bit so you can see what the fuss is all about,” he started. “Then we take some pictures and _then_ we head to M&M’s World?” He suggested. “I’ve been dealing with you for almost six years, Charlotte, I know you’re not getting out of that store with a single small bag with one tube of M&M’s...” He smirked, throwing her a teasing look while she tried to bury her face in the crook of his neck, pretending she knew nothing about that behavior.

“In my defense, mommy did give me some money to spend however I wanted it during our trip,” Charlotte shrugged. “Not to mention my savings from the allowance you two give me every month. I knew it would be important to save it!” She added. “I still have most of it since we didn’t buy a lot today,”

“You were very conscious this morning at the Statue of Liberty when you were buying souvenirs and that teddy bear for Olivia,” Liam told her. “Let’s keep up with that kind of shopping, okay? Today is only our first day here, which means we still have five more days to walk around New York... let’s not spend all that money on M&M’s, princess,”

“You have a point, I guess,” she murmured. “We still haven’t visited that NY Gifts souvenir’s store yet so,”

“That’s right. Let’s save some money for the other stores you’d like to visit,” he offered her a smile. “We only need to walk a couple more streets to get to the main part of Times Square, okay?” She nodded.

As soon as they crossed W 44th Street, Liam placed Charlotte back on her feet on one of the marble benches in the middle of the square so he could take some photos of her.

“Strike some poses, princess,” Liam spoke while holding his phone up.

“Can you take some of me staring at all these screens?” Charlotte asked.

“Of course,” he chuckled. “You want those spontaneous shots, right?”

“Exactly! I love that you’re a great photographer, dad,” she mentioned. “You always know what to do and how to take the best photos,”

“Well, I do have great models at home,” Liam smiled, snapping some photos of his daughter as she looked around all the screens, lights, store signs and advertisement all over Times Square.

“This place is so cool, daddy!” Charlotte exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air.

“Would you like me to take one of the two of you?” A young man that couldn’t be more than twenty years old asked Liam.

“Yeah, of course,” he nodded, handing him the phone. “Climb on my shoulders, princess,”

Liam sat down on the bench and held Charlotte’s hands so she could get on his shoulders. Once she was settled, he let go of her hands to hold her by her knees, keeping them pressed against his chest as he stood back up and Charlotte threw her arms up in the air again.

“Thank you,” Liam offered the young man a smile before reaching for his phone.

“Can we record a video for mom?” Charlotte asked.

“Do you want to do it?”

“Yes!” She replied in excitement.

“Careful, okay? Don’t wander around,” Liam requested.

“I will just stay here so I’m taller,” she mentioned while climbing back on the bench.

Reaching for the iPhone he was offering her, she quickly switched to the video camera and started recording the city around them.

“Hi mom! Look at where we are!” Charlotte started, spinning on her heels slowly so she could capture everything. “We’re in Times Square!” She exclaimed, narrating the video while recording it with the back camera. “There are so many lights and everything is so shinny, mom. It’s ten o’clock and it looks like the sun is still shining. Can you believe that? It’s not like it’s not night at all!” She continued. “You can see daddy here,” she mentioned once the camera captured Liam staring at one of the screens to his right. “Say hi dad!”

“Hi babe!” Liam waved at the camera. “This little one here is having a blast at Times Square,” he laughed.

“I am, yeah,” Charlotte spoke up after switching to the front camera. “There are a lot of people here though, mom. It’s actually a bit scary, to be honest,” she admitted. “But it’s so pretty, see?” She pointed at the screens around her. “I hope you like my video when you wake up, mom. I love you!” She exclaimed, blowing Fallon a kiss before she stopped recording. “Now all we have to do is send it to mom,” she murmured, tapping the small arrow on the bottom of the screen then the familiar green icon of the messages’ app. “Fallon,” she mumbled while choosing the first name on the favorite’s list. “Sent!”

“I’m sure mom will love it,” he told her. “Would you like to take more photos or can we head to the M&M’s store?”

“Can we take a selfie?” She asked. “Then we can go,”

“Of course,” he nodded, smiling at the camera while Charlotte snapped a photo of them.

“Perfect!” She exclaimed. “Let’s go check those M&M’s now,”

“Do you want to walk or should I carry you?” Liam asked.

“I can walk,” Charlotte murmured, “just don’t let go of my hand, daddy, _please_ ,” she begged.

“I won’t, princess. You don’t have to worry about that, okay? Just focus on walking at everyone’s pace and look where you’re going, not up at the screens,” he instructed.

“I can’t believe someone stepped on my white shoes,” she groaned in complaint. “Now there’s a black stain right on top of it,”

“That was an accident, Charlie,” Liam told her. “We can clean it up once we get back to the hotel,”

“I can’t believe New York has a M&M’s store _and_ a Hershey’s store, all in the same place, and we’re stuck with a Coca Cola store!” Charlotte complained as they approached the colorful store. “That’s not fair,”

“Says the one who asks to go to The World of Coca Cola almost every weekend,” Liam rolled his eyes playfully.

“That’s because that guy dressed as a polar bear is really friendly,” the five years shrugged. “They also give us free samples sometimes,”

“How do you know he’s not a real polar bear?” He teased her, mostly to see the look on her face when she rolled her eyes at him.

“I’m about to turn six, dad. I know there are no polar bears in Atlanta,” Charlotte countered. “Besides, it’s not like you would let me a hug a real polar bear because they’re huge and wild and they would probably eat me,” she explained. “And we both know you wouldn’t let that happen to me,”

“Would you like a basket?” A polite saleswoman asked with a bright smile the moment they walked through the glass doors of M&M’s World.

“Oh, how considerate,” the five years old replied. “Thank you, Heather,” she smiled back at her, reading the nametag on her chest while reaching for the red basket.

“Have fun!” She added.

“I will!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Dad, this is probably the coolest store I’ve ever visited!” She looked up at her father. “Oh my god! They have M&M’s dispensers!”

Charlotte ran towards one of the aisles and reached for the M&M’s Liberty dispenser, with the green character as the famous Statue of Liberty on top of the pedestal.

“Yeah, I definitely need one,” placing the basket on the floor, she reached for one of the dispensers then carefully set it inside the basket.

“You know,” Liam started as they walked through the drink ware section of the store. “Why don’t we get some of these mugs? Our family breakfasts could be even more fun,” he suggested while gesturing to huge collection of mugs hanging on one of the walls.

“I like that idea, dad!” Charlotte spoke in excitement. “I like this one, what do you think?” She asked, showing him the yellow character barrel mug. “Oh, they have a sentence inside…” She mentioned when she noticed the white words on the inside lip.

 _“Completely nuts!”_ Liam read. “This one should be yours,” he told her.

“Hey! I’m not nuts,” she pouted. “It fits my personality though,” she shrugged. “Well, might as well get this one for myself then,”

“Excuse me,” he asked a salesman that was walking by. “Is there a box for them or do we just take these?”

“You can take them,” he answered. “They will wrap them in tissue paper at the cashier so it’s safe for you to take them home,”

“Okay, thank you,”

“Mom’s favorite color is blue so we’re going to take her the blue M&M,” Charlotte explained while placing both the yellow and the blue mug inside the basket.

“What does the blue one say?” Liam asked.

 _“It’s all good.”_ Charlotte told him. “Kind of boring but mom will be happy with a blue mug,” she shrugged. “Oh daddy, this one is definitely for you!” She offered him the orange character mug.

 _“I’m irresistible.”_ Liam read the inside lip of the mug Charlotte had chosen for him.

“Yeah, because you say that to mom every time she’s mad at you and you want a kiss,” she told him.

“I do not!” He groaned.

“You do, daddy, don’t lie,” she shook her head in disapproval while teasing him. “If the completely nuts mug fits me, then this irresistible one suits you just fine, Mister Ridley,”

“Well, I know better than to argue with the tiny version of my wife so,” Liam admitted before leaning forward to put his mug in his daughter’s basket.

“Which one should we take Ollie, dad?” Charlotte asked. “She won’t drink for a mug now but we should still take her one for when she’s old enough to have coffee with us,”

“I like the green one, Charlie,” he mentioned.

“Me too! I’m sure Ollie will like the female M&M, she is very cute,” she told her father. _“I melt for no one!”_ She read the inside message. “I like it!”

“Let me carry that for you, princess. So you don’t break those mugs,” Liam reached for the basket handle before taking Charlotte’s hand in his.

“I think I got everything I liked from the first floor, dad. Can we go upstairs now?” She requested.

“Sure,” he nodded. “Careful on the escalator, baby,”

“Oh, my, god! Look at this, dad!” Charlotte’s jaw fell on the floor when they reached the second floor and she laid her eyes on the endless wall of M&M’s tubes. “I’m pretty sure this is what heaven looks like,” she murmured.

“There is one tube for every color of M&M, Charlie,” Liam began. “They have all kind of chocolate in them so you have to read the label on the tube to know which one it is… most of them are milk chocolate M&M’s but in different colors,” he explained. “But they have peanut, pretzel, crispy, caramel, milt and probably a hundred more than I don’t remember now,” he chuckled. “You take one of these plastic bags,” he instructed while reaching for one bag himself, “and you hold it under the tube to get the M&M you want,” he opened the bag and offered it out to her.

“How am I supposed to choose between all of these tubes, dad?”

“You have to choose the ones you like to eat the most, princess, not the ones you think are pretty,” he told her. “They charge by the pound here and they’re actually very expensive so why don’t you get the ones that you can’t buy at the grocery store in Atlanta?”

“Can I get two bags?” She asked. “I don’t want to mix them all in the same one,”

“We can get more than one bag if you want to keep the flavors separated, Charlie,” Liam explained. “As long as you don’t fill all of them up to the top,” he laughed.

“Will you help me?”

“Of course. Where should we start?”

“I want one bag to have only the ones in baby colors,” Charlotte told him.

“I will hold the bag and you pull the handle, okay? Just make sure you do it gently otherwise we will have a full bag of only one kind,” he instructed.

“Okay, baby pink first,” she started. “Now baby yellow,” she spoke while adding more M&M’s to the bag. “Baby blue,” she continued, “and a tiny bit of white ones,” she bit on her bottom lip as she carefully pulled down the handle of the white M&M’s tube.

“You can personalize them if you want,” a young teenage girl told Charlotte as she filled her own bag with M&M’s. “You can write anything you want on your M&M’s, like this,” she reached inside her basket and pulled out a bottle that resembled a champagne one but was filled with M&M’s in what seemed to be three different shades of green. “It’s her sweet sixteen next weekend so I’m wrote happy birthday on them,”

“That is so cool!” Charlotte’s eyes widened. “Dad, can we write Charlotte on mine?”

“Just head there,” she pointed at one of the corners of the store, showing them what looked like a small M&M factory. “You give them your bag and tell them what they should write on your chocolate,”

“I love that!”

“Charlie, do you really need to write your name on these M&M’s?” Liam turned towards her once the teenager walked away.

“Yes,” she replied shortly. “When have you ever eaten M&M’s with your name on it?”

“I’m sure they taste just the same, baby,”

“Please!” Charlotte begged. “I can take one bag for Molly and write her name on her M&M’s so we can eat together once we’re back home!”

“This trip is all about you so I guess you can have your M&M’s personalized, yes,” he shrugged when he realized she would just keep insisting until he eventually gave in.

Liam was a tough and responsible father when he needed but he and Fallon had agreed that trip would be indeed all about Charlotte. Since she was no longer an only child, they wanted to make sure she knew nothing would ever change between them if they had two kids.

Charlotte had always treated Olivia with so much care and love they knew they had nothing to worry about, but the constant questions about who they loved more and why were they giving Olivia so much attention all day long were starting to bother them.

Therefore, Fallon had ended up suggesting that Liam took Charlotte for a father and daughter’s trip since she couldn’t exactly leave their two months old. She also knew how important it would be for these two to bond and experience a fun and well-deserved trip just the two of them, specially since she already had an inexplicable and special relationship with their daughter.

While Charlotte was clearly a mommy’s girl, Olivia was already starting to act like a total daddy’s girl and they last thing they wanted was for Charlotte to wonder if Liam loved her any less because of her baby sister.

“Daddy, what if we got matching pajamas too?” The five years old suggested, walking into the sleepwear aisle as they waited for the personalized M&M’s to get ready. “We could have a M&M breakfast party! All four of us!” She sounded so excited and he could definitely see the sparkle in her eyes as she looked through the different kinds of pajamas that he didn’t have in his heart to question her idea.

“You think mom will wear an M&M dorm shirt instead of her freaking expensive silk nightgown?”

“She will if I ask nicely,” she offered him a wide smile. “What size should I get her? I’m thinking medium because pajamas are supposed to be a bit big,”

“Yeah, baby, definitely medium for mom,” Liam told her. “You’re getting her a blue one?” He asked while Charlotte checked the tags in search of a medium sized dorm shirt.

“Yes! We have to match our mugs,” she explained. “Oh look, they have words on these too!” She showed Liam the back of the dorm shirt.

“Your mom will love that hers says awesome,” he chuckled.

“And look at that,” Charlotte spoke up when she found her own dorm shirt, the youth version of the dorm shirt she had just picked up for her mother. “It says adorable!” She turned the back of the yellow dorm shirt towards Liam. “Which I am! I’m even starting to like this yellow M&M more now. He seems like a great character,” she rambled.

“It’s a shame the men’s one doesn’t have words,” Liam mentioned while reaching for one of the orange t-shirts.

“That’s okay, Ollie’s doesn’t have word either,” she rolled her eyes. “Look at how cute these onesies are, daddy!” She exclaimed, holding a green onesie in one hand and a red one in the other. “Ollie deserves them all! So she can look extra cute as an M&M,”

“Let’s get two in the smallest size and the other two in the six months size so she can wear them in a few months,”

“Okay…” Charlotte nodded. “Green and yellow for now and blue and red for later,” she murmured while picking out the onesies.

“Are you done, princess?” Liam asked while glancing at the watch on his wrist. “We need to get your personalized chocolate and pay so we can head back to the hotel…”

“What time is it, dad?”

“Almost midnight, Charlie,” he replied. “They should be closing soon so we can’t take long but you also need to sleep,”

“I think I’m done,” she informed him. “Oh no, I could use some socks as well,” she mentioned when they walked past a small wall of socks on their way to get the personalized M&M’s. “Let me get some, daddy,” reading the size carefully, she picked out one pair of ankle socks in every M&M character then threw the five chosen pairs inside her basket.

“Well, turns out these are really nice indeed,” Liam admitted once he got the bags of M&M’s. For her best friend, Charlotte had chosen M&M’s with _Molly_ and _BFF_ written on them. As for her own bag of M&M’s, she had to chosen the three words in her full name. “Let’s head back to the hotel now, okay?”

“I’m _really_ tired, daddy,” Charlotte leaned against his body while they waited for the escalator to take them back to the first floor.

“I know you are, princess,” he ran a hand softly through her brown waves. “We just need to pay for all this stuff and then I will get us a cab to take us back to the hotel,”

“Okay,” she murmured.

“Did you have fun here tonight, sweetheart?” The woman asked the five years old when Liam slid their basket towards her.

“I did,” Charlotte nodded. “This store is awesome! Can you open one in Atlanta?”

“Unfortunately, that’s not up to me, dear,” she mentioned, folding the pieces of clothing before placing them in the large yellow shopping bag.

“Guess I will just have to fly here more often,” she shrugged.

“Your total is $425.49,” she told them. “You have an amazing father, hun?” She turned towards the little girl.

“I do!” Charlotte exclaimed. “He’s the best!” She hugged Liam’s leg while he pulled his wallet out of his jeans’ pocket.

“Here,” Liam handed her a few bills then reached for the two shopping bags as he waited for the change. “Thank you,”

“Thanks for visiting M&M World!” The woman offered them a smile.

“You’re welcome,” Charlotte told her. “We will definitely be back!” She added before turning towards her father. “Back to The Plaza now, daddy?” She asked before a long and loud yawn escaped her lips.

“Back to The Plaza, princess,” Liam pulled her closer to him as they walked out of the store to hail a cab.

**SATURDAY**

“Morning, Liam,” Laura spoke as she approached their table. “Charlotte,” she added, offering them both a smile as she waited for the waiter to pull a chair for her.

“Hello, Laura,” the five years old looked up from her cappuccino before setting the mug down on the table.

“Charlotte, that’s _grandma_ ,” Liam corrected her as Laura sat down across from them.

“Maybe if she visited me more she would be,” Charlotte replied nonchalantly, “but for now, she’s Laura,”

“Charlotte Grace, don’t be rude,” he reached for her wrist, tightening the grip of his fingers around her soft skin just enough to scare her about her current attitude.

“I actually prefer to be called Laura,” the blonde shrugged as she reached for the menu. “Grandma makes me feel old,”

“Is that why you don’t act like one?” Charlotte questioned.

“Charlotte!” Liam threw her a glare, staring deeply into her matching blue eyes before she could say anything else. “Do you want to go home? Back to Atlanta?” He asked seriously. “Because this is not how we’ve been raising you and I’m not enjoying that behavior,”

“I’m sorry, dad,” she murmured. “I’m sorry, Laura,”

“Do I need to take you to the back so we can talk privately?” He continued.

“She _just_ said she prefers Laura!” Charlotte shrugged.

“You’re not calling her by her name because she prefers it, you’re being stubborn and rude,” Liam told her. “Are you going to behave or not?”

“I am,” she nodded, tracing the edge of her mug with her thumbs as she avoided looking at his eyes.

“Isn’t there something else you need to say to your grandmother?” He inquired.

“I am sorry, grandma,” Charlotte continued.

“This is what happens when you let that girl spend too much time with a Carrington,” Laura rolled her eyes, raising her hand to call one of the waiters.

“Do I need to have a talk with you now?” Liam fired as he turned away from Charlotte and looked up at his mother. “All I asked you was for one peaceful breakfast and you’re already talking bad things about Fallon?” He questioned.

“That’s because she hates mom,” the five years old commented. “That’s also probably why she doesn’t like me either,” she continued. “Isn’t it?” She asked Laura. “Because I look like my mommy?”

“That’s enough!” He exclaimed, probably louder than he intended at a public and well respected restaurant like Sarabeth’s. “I’m this close to losing my patience with the two of you,”

“I don’t hate you, Charlotte,” Laura spoke up.

“It’s not like you like me either,”

“I may not agree with your father about letting you spend so much time with Fallon but well,” the blonde woman rolled her eyes. “Unfortunately, that’s who my son chose to have a daughter with,”

“Two daughters, actually,” Liam mentioned. “It might not seem like a big deal to you but you do remember we had another one this August?” He asked, clearly upset by her lack of interest.

“Oh yeah, Olivia, right?” Laura replied. “Your sister mentioned you honored her by giving Olivia her middle name,” she reached for the champagne glass the waiter had just placed in front of her and took a long sip of her mimosa. “Can you please act like an adult for once in your life, mom?” He asked. “I thought it would be important for you and Charlie to have at least one meal together but clearly, that was a terrible idea,”

“Can we order breakfast, daddy?” Charlotte asked.

“You haven’t ordered yet?” Laura frowned.

“We were waiting for you to arrive,” Liam replied, “which is actually what polite people do when they’re meeting people for breakfast,” he added. “Yes, princess, you want the pancakes, right?”

“Yes, please,” she nodded. “Why don’t you visit us?” She asked Laura while Liam ordered their food.

“I’m a busy woman, dear,” she responded. “I run the Van Kirk Industries and a few other business around New York,”

“But he’s your son,” Charlotte mumbled. “He’s important too,”

“Well, I’m here now, aren’t I?” Laura mumbled, downing the rest of her mimosa in one gulp before asking the waiter for another one.

“Why didn’t you go to Atlanta when Ollie was born?” The five years old eyed her suspiciously.

“As I said, I’ve been quite busy,”

“Family should always be more important than anything else,” Charlotte told her.

“I’m going to have to agree with Charlotte on this one, mom,” Liam mentioned. “You could have at least shown a little bit of interest when I told you about Olivia,”

“Well, I got her this,” Laura opened her large Prada handbag and pulled out one of the shopping bags she had inside. It had a tiny O written with black pen on the bottom of the bag so she would be able to tell the bags apart.

“What is this?” He asked while reaching for the small gift.

“I may not be present in their lives but I care about them,” she shrugged. “Emily always said a grandmother is supposed to bring gifts when she visits so well, there it is,”

“What did you even buy for a two _months_ old at Tiffany’s?”

“I figured you’d pierce her ears too since Charlotte’s ears are pierced so I got her some earrings,” Laura explained. “Gold with diamonds, of course. You better not get her anything silver, for God’s sake,”

“You do know this gift would have a lot more meaning if you actually gave it to Olivia yourself, right?” Liam sighed in frustration.

“Well, you two are here now so I’m giving it to you,” she replied shortly.

“Did you get me anything?” Charlotte’s tone was barely a whisper and she couldn’t help feeling slightly upset that she hadn’t gotten a gift as well.

“Of course I did, here,” she grabbed the other shopping bag and slid it across the table.

“Oh, my favorite kind of blue!” She exclaimed while undoing the white satin bow on top of the Tiffany’s bag.

“What do we say now?” Liam requested.

“Thank you,” Charlotte offered her grandmother a smile.

Opening the bag carefully, she retrieved the black velvet box and her eyes sparkled the moment she saw the famous Return to Tiffany heart pendant in shinny white gold, hanging from a thin chain. There were tiny diamonds outlining the heart and when Charlotte turned the small heart around in her hand, she noticed her full name engraved on the back of the pendant.

“I hope you don’t have that one,” Laura spoke up.

“I don’t,” Charlotte shook her head, tracing the matching earrings with her thumb. The hearts were exactly the same as the necklace pendant but in a smaller size. “Daddy, can you help me put this on?”

“Of course, princess,” Liam reached for the necklace and closed it around her neck, letting it fall in front of her sweater as she took another look at it. “You want the earrings now too?”

“Yes!”

“Okay,” pushing her hair behind her shoulders, Liam removed the rosé gold earrings she was wearing and set them carefully inside the Tiffany & Co box. “They’re very pretty, thank you, mom,” he mentioned, placing one of the hearts on her ear before doing the same thing to the other.

“I love it,” Charlotte smiled.

“I need to use the restroom for a couple of minutes,” Liam informed them. “Can I leave you two alone or are you two going to kill each other?”

“We will be fine,” Laura replied. “How’s school?” She asked the five years old.

“It’s good,”

“Salmon eggs benedict,” the waiter placed the white porcelain plate in front of Laura. “Buttermilk pancakes with strawberries,” Charlotte danced on her seat as she reached for her fork. “Farmer’s Omelette for your dad, right?” He asked her.

“Yes, Sir,” she nodded.

“Are you enjoying New York, Charlie?” Laura asked.

“I am, yeah,” Charlotte answered before taking a large piece of pancake to her mouth. “There are so many things to do here!”

“I love New York,” she mentioned. “It’s definitely one of my favorite cities in the world,” she commented. “Oh, by the way, I have another gift for you...”

“Another one?” She frowned since her grandmother wasn’t usually _that_ nice.

“This one stays between you and me though, okay?” Laura handed her a small white envelope.

“Wow babe!” Charlotte exclaimed when she laid her eyes on the hundred dollar bills inside the envelope.

“Don’t spend it all in one place, dear,” Laura threw her a wink. “Now put that away, will you?” She added when she noticed Liam walking back from the restrooms.

“Okay,” she set her fork down on the table then closed the envelope before quickly pushing it inside her brand new Gucci backpack. “Thanks,”

“Make sure you buy yourself something really nice,”

“I will!”

“Drinks are intact, hair perfectly in place...” Liam described as he approached the table. “I believe you two managed to entertain each other nicely?”

“Yeah,” Charlotte shrugged. “Laura behaved really well,” she told him.

“So did Miss Ridley over there,” Laura informed.

“I’m glad,” he sat down, placing his napkin back on his lap. “Last time we were together you ended up with a torn blouse and Fallon ended up with wine all over herself,”

“That catfight was better than any movie,” Charlotte commented.

“It’s definitely not how two grown women should behave,” Liam groaned, rolling his eyes.

“It was still funny to see mommy kicking her ass on the kitchen floor,” she giggled softly.

“Well, at least someone considered that night entertaining,” Laura murmured while eating a piece of salmon.

“Oh, I did,” Charlotte replied, eating another piece of pancake, “but only because mommy won, even though she ended up lying on a pool of red wine,”

“How can you even remember that?” Laura asked, realizing how long it had been since she last flew to Atlanta. “That was probably a year ago,”

“I’m smart,” she smiled brightly.

“I hope you both understand how freaking bizarre that was?” Liam questioned. “I mean, just so I know it’s not going to happen ever again?”

“It’s mom and Laura we’re talking about, dad... you never know what’s going to happen when they’re in the same room,” Charlotte shrugged.

* * *

“ _Smogsburg_ here we come!” Charlotte jumped out of the yellow cab, stepping onto the sidewalk as she waited for Liam to finish paying the driver.

“It’s Smorgasburg, princess,” Liam chuckled while taking her hand in his.

“That is a very difficult word, daddy,” she rolled her eyes playfully.

“What do you say we check out the skyline first?” He suggested. “We can take some pictures and then we come back to the food market?

“You’re the boss, daddy!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“Oh, so now I’m the boss?” He let out a soft laugh.

“Well, mom’s the real boss, of course,” she explained, “but you’re a close second when she’s not around,”

“I guess I can work with that,” Liam shrugged.

“Wow!” The five years old screamed, her jaw dropping to the floor when they reached the end of East River Park. “You were right, daddy, this skyline is gorgeous!”

“I used to come here all the time when I was younger,” he told her.

“Oh my god, dad, look!” Charlotte pointed towards the sign a few feet from them. “This beach is called Charlotte Beach! Oh, we _have_ to go there! I didn’t know I had my _own_ beach!”

“It’s not exactly a beach, baby. It’s just some sand by the river,”

“It’s still named after me!”

“Are you sure you want to go there?” Liam questioned. He didn’t remember the last time his daughter was actually excited about going to the beach. In fact, he couldn’t even tell if she had _ever_ been excited about a beach. “You may get sand inside your shoes,”

“It’s Charlotte Beach, daddy! I have to go!” She threw her arms up in the air dramatically. “Who would have thought I had my own beach with such an amazing skyline?” She shrugged. “Come on, let’s go,” she added while pulling on his hand to drag him towards the sand.

“Well, aren’t you going to walk further towards the river?” He asked when Charlotte stopped right where the sand began.

“Can you carry me?” She offered him a smile while using her famous puppy eyes on him.

“I thought the sand didn’t bother you?” Liam pretended not to be touched by her adorable look.

“To be honest…” Charlotte started. “It kind of does,” she admitted.

“Why don’t you take off your shoes then?” He suggested.

“And step on this sand with my bare feet?” Her eyes widened. “My perfect, delicate and extra soft feet on this sand? I don’t even know who was here and what kind of dirt there might be mixed in this sand…” She told him. “No, the only option is you carrying your amazing daughter to those rocks so I can see New York from there,”

“Or we could just stay here?” Liam tried. “The skyline is just as pretty from here,”

“Please, daddy, pretty please,” Charlotte begged. “I will pay for lunch if you carry me to the river,”

“You will pay for lunch?” He frowned, confused. “Since when do you pay for our meals?”

“I have money,” she shrugged.

“You’re just going to keep begging, aren’t you?” Liam shook his head in disbelief. “I will take that deal though,”

“Okay,” Charlotte raised her arms so he could pick her up.

“Come on, Fallon,” he joked as he settled her against the side of his body.

“It’s Charlotte, daddy,” she corrected him.

“Oh, right now? With that fear of sand and begging? With money involved?” Liam teased. “Yeah, that’s all Fallon, princess,”

“Well, I _am_ the official mini Fallon,” Charlotte mentioned. “But you have to admit this beach is not really that clean, dad,”

“Can I put you down now?” He asked once they reached the rocks by the river.

“I’m fine here, thanks for asking,” she replied while wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Don’t you want photos of you in front of the skyline?”

“Can we go there for photos?” Charlotte gestured to the small wooden platform that allowed people to walk a short distance above the river.

“You made me walk all the way here for nothing?” Liam rolled his eyes.

“I didn’t see that earlier,”

“My stomach is starting to complain about the lack of food,” he told her. “Can we go there after lunch?”

“Yeah, I think so,” she nodded. “We should take a selfie here though,”

They walked back towards the Smorgasburg food market right after taking a couple of photos of themselves by the river. Charlotte had finally allowed Liam to put her down and she couldn’t stop talking about all the food around them as they walked through the tents.

“What are you in the mood for, Charlie?” Liam asked her. “The food here is not really that big so it’s okay if you want to get your lunch from two or three different places,” he explained.

“That one sounds good,” she pointed towards the shop that was selling small pieces of beef with mashed potatoes. “I could eat a burger too,”

“I like your choices so I might get the same thing,” he commented. “This line seems to be longer so let’s try this one first, okay?”

“Hello, what can I offer you today?” The woman smiled brightly once they reached the counter.

“I would like two of the number one combo, please,” Liam requested.

“Would you like to add a sweet corn on the stick for an extra of two dollars or onion rings for three dollars?”

“Corn for me,” Charlotte pushed herself on her tiptoes so she could look over the high counter.

“Make it two then,” he added.

“That will be $32.66,”

“Okay,” the five years old nodded before taking her backpack off her shoulders. “Let me see,” she pulled the zipper of her Gucci down just enough to push her hand inside and open the envelope Laura had given her that morning. “Here,” she handed the woman a hundred dollar bill.

“Where did you get that, Charlotte?” Liam whispered.

“Mommy gave me money,” she lied. “Remember?”

“Your mom told you that you had a certain amount but she left _me_ in charge of the cash,” he told her.

“Well, she gave me a couple of bills,” she shrugged.

“Give me your backpack, Charlotte,” Liam requested after accepting the change and the small paper with the number of the order from the woman.

“Why?” Charlotte asked as they stepped away from the tent.

“Charlotte Grace Ridley, I’m not going to ask twice,” he demanded.

“Don’t full name me,” she pouted while handing him her backpack.

“Charlotte!” Liam exclaimed, his eyes widening in total shock when he noticed the envelope filled with cash hidden under all the personal items she had put inside her backpack that morning. “Come here,” he grabbed her arm gently and pulled her towards an emptier space. “What the hell are you doing with two grand inside your backpack, Charlotte?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugged. “Someone must have put it there,” she looked away as to avoid his not so amused eyes.

“Where I come from people don’t usually put money inside other people’s bags,” he murmured. “Charlotte, did my mother give this to you?”

“Maybe…” She whispered.

“Oh my god,” Liam sighed, running his hand nervously through his hair.

“She told me it was a secret gift,” Charlotte confessed.

“Charlie, you can’t just walk around with that amount of cash in your backpack,” he spoke softly. “That’s not safe, princess,”

“I’m sorry, daddy,” she looked down at her feet. “I don’t want you to be mad at me,”

“I’m not mad, princess,” Liam replied right away. “Your grandmother has a weird and messed way of bonding with you so I guess I should have seen something like this coming,” he rolled his eyes. “But I don’t want you carrying that cash, Charlie,”

“I’m sorry,” she repeated, her voice so low he could tell she was seconds from crying.

“It’s okay, baby. I’m not mad,” he touched her chin so she would look up at him. “I’m going to give someone a call tonight but you have nothing to worry about, okay?” She nodded. “In the meantime, I will be the one carrying your backpack,”

“Okay, daddy,”

“Why can’t my mother just act like a normal person?” Liam asked himself as he reached for their food. “What do you want to drink, princess?”

“Do you think they have pink lemonade here?”

“We can look,” he suggested.

“Last shop, between the black burger tent and the red truck,” a man that was walking past them informed.

“Thank you,” Liam replied.

“Oh I like this,” Charlotte mentioned after tasting a piece of beef.

“We can get the lemonade and the burger at the same time and then we can find a place to sit, okay?” She nodded.

It took them about fifteen minutes to get all the food they wanted for that day’s lunch before they could walk towards the other side of the park, where everyone was sitting on the ground as they ate and chatted.

“I love this view, daddy,” Charlotte rested her head on his shoulder as she took a bite of her burger.

“It’s pretty, isn’t it?” He glanced down at her with a smile.

“Yeah. How can the Empire State look so small if it’s such a tall building?” She questioned.

“That’s because we’re far from it, princess,” Liam explained. “The river is bigger than we actually think it is,” he told her. “I’m taking you to Brooklyn once we’re done here. The skyline there is just as beautiful, they have great parks and even a carousel by the river!”

“A carousel?” Her eyes sparkled in excitement. “That we can ride?”

“Yes,” he chuckled. “Is there anything else you would like to eat, baby?” He asked while throwing all the trash inside one of the paper bags. “I’m still a bit hungry,” he laughed. “I might get myself another burger,”

“That red truck near the lemonade shop had ribs with barbecue,” Charlotte reminded him. “We could get some!”

“Ribs? I like that idea,” Liam offered her a smile. “Maybe ribs and an extra burger?” He suggested.

“Oh daddy,” Charlotte smiled back. “You know me too well,” she added before throwing the aluminum foil from the burger she had just finished inside the paper bag.

* * *

“Can you see how fast I can go, dad?” Charlotte screamed as she spun across the large grass area with her arms wide open.

“I can, princess,” Liam replied, focusing on his phone so he could take as many photos as he could from that moment.

Charlotte had been running around the small park for almost half an hour, talking to herself and spinning as much as possible as she stared at the city in front of her. Liam had asked the taxi driver to drop them before they could even reach Dumbo, one of the most famous and touristic places in Brooklyn so they could walk the rest of the way towards the East River.

Since he had agreed to call Fallon exactly at two o’clock that afternoon, right before Olivia took her first nap after lunch, he suggested they make a quick stop at one of the parks. They were getting closer to the Brooklyn Bridge and it was possible to see most of downtown Manhattan right behind the famous bridge from where they were standing.

“Look at me, Charlie!” He requested and Charlotte immediately posed for the camera when she noticed her father holding his iPhone up.

“One for mommy, daddy!” She mentioned before blowing a kiss to the camera.

“Oh, speaking about mommy,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh when Fallon’s face and name suddenly appeared on his screen. “Hey,” he greeted his wife with a bright smile.

 _“Where the hell are you?”_ Fallon frowned when she noticed the green leaves behind him.

“A park in Brooklyn,” he told her. “I found myself a seat near the bushes but apparently someone has too much energy to sit down,” he spoke while switching to the back camera so Fallon could watch Charlotte running around.

 _“That’s what happens when you give her too much sugar,”_ she rolled her eyes.

“This city is so cool!” Charlotte exclaimed. “I love New York!”

“I swear she didn’t even have that much today,” Liam shrugged.

 _“Well, you keep giving her sugar so you might as well deal with it,”_ Fallon laughed. _“By the way, your baby girl wants to talk to you. Ever since she woke up this morning, she’s been screaming every time I mention your name,”_

“Aww, where is she?” He asked.

 _“Just a second,”_ setting the phone down on the bed, Fallon picked Olivia up from the bassinet near their king sized bed then placed her carefully on the bed. _“Daddy wants to see you, pumpkin,”_ she spoke softly, holding the camera right above her baby girl.

“Hi, baby!” Liam exclaimed. “Mommy dressed you in stripes today?” The two months old shook one of her arms and offered him her most adorable smile when she heard her father’s voice. “You’re so cute, pumpkin. Daddy misses you so much!”

 _“We miss you too, babe,”_ she said softly before settling Olivia against her chest so they could both appear on his screen. _“What are your plans for the rest of the day over there?”_

“Charlie! Stay close,” he screamed at the five years old.

“I’m going to take her to Dumbo and Jane’s Carousel and then I thought it would be nice to stroll through Brooklyn Bridge Park,” he told his wife.

“We’re also going to walk through the bridge all the way back to Manhattan!” Charlotte informed as she threw herself between Liam and the phone, sitting right between his legs and leaning back against his chest. “Hi Ollie!” She waved at the camera.

“We’re not really sure about that part though,” Liam mentioned. “I doubt this little one over here will walk the entire bridge without a single complaint,” he wrapped his free arm around her waist before resting his chin on the top her head.

 _“Remember when you made me walk that bridge with you?”_ She smiled at the memory of almost a decade back.

“What happened?” Charlotte asked curiously.

 _“It was a couple of months after we got married. Probably the first time we went to New York after the wedding,”_ Fallon started. _“Your dad took me to Cecconi’s, an Italian restaurant in Dumbo… it’s right in front of the carousel, actually,”_ she told her daughter. _“I dressed up for our date in one of my best outfits, like I usually do,”_

“Something fancy and expensive,” the five years old commented.

“Exactly,” both Liam and Fallon spoke at the same time.

 _“I didn’t really know what your dad had planned for that night and he didn’t say anything about my outfit when we left the hotel,”_ Fallon continued. _“It was almost summer and the weather was delightful so your dad suggested we head to the bridge to see the skyline at night,”_

“It was only ten o’clock and I didn’t want that date to be over so soon,” Liam spoke up. “Going back for the night didn’t sound that amusing so I told her we could get ice cream and walk back to Manhattan,” he explained. “There were tons of people out and on the bridge since the weather was quite nice and I thought it would be fun,”

“Except mommy was in her fancy outfit and high heels,” Charlotte chuckled softly.

“But she didn’t want to say no and agreed to walk with me,” he told their daughter.

 _“Your dad kept talking to me and I could barely pay any attention to what he was saying because even though I’m used to walking everywhere in heels, they’re not really the appropriate shoes for that freaking bridge,”_ Fallon laughed. _“My feet were simply killing me and all I could think about was the pain on my heels and legs,”_

“We were halfway through the bridge when she finally admitted she couldn’t walk anymore,” Liam rolled his eyes.

“Why did you even agree with daddy if you knew they would hurt your feet, mom?” Charlotte questioned.

 _“He was so excited to show me what he loved the most about New York, princess. Just like he is while showing you everything over there,”_ Fallon explained, lowering her voice as she rocked Olivia back and forth as slow as possible. _“I wear them every day, all day long, so I figured it would be challenging but I didn’t think I would have to actually tell your father I couldn’t walk anymore,”_

“What did you do? What did you do?” She asked.

_“He made me take them off and walk bare feet,”_

“Oh, you did not!” Charlotte’s eyes widened as she turned towards her father.

 _“He did, Charlie, believe me,”_ she rolled her eyes.

“Can you believe he almost made me take off my shoes today too?” She questioned. “Why didn’t you carry mom, daddy?”

“We were over half a mile away from Manhattan, princess. I may be strong but I couldn’t carry mom all the way to the other end of the bridge,” Liam shrugged.

“As a _gentleman_ , you should have carried her,” Charlotte countered.

“I’m a gentleman, not _superman_ , Charlie,” he laughed.

 _“I ended up walking most of the remaining distance bare feet,”_ Fallon decided to continue the story before Charlotte could keep arguing with Liam about not carrying her. Sometimes her daughter was just way too overprotective of her. _“However, we were almost reaching Manhattan when your dad decided to offer me a piggy back ride, at least until we could get a cab,”_

“That was nice of you, daddy,” she commented. “Better late than never,” she added.

 _“So I asked him to hold my heels and hopped on his back,”_ she spoke while walking towards the bassinet to put the sleeping two months old down.

“Please, daddy, tell me you didn’t forget mommy’s heels,” Charlotte looked at him in panic.

“It was an accident!” Liam exclaimed.

 _“I only realized he didn’t have them when we got in the cab,”_ Fallon told her.

“What were they?” She asked. “Louboutin’s? Jimmy Choo’s?”

 _“Louboutin’s,”_ she replied. _“Black pumps,”_

“Oh, at least they weren’t limited edition or anything,” Charlotte sighed in relief.

“I felt terrible, okay?” Liam looked between them.

 _“He did indeed,”_ Fallon continued. _“I slept in the morning and when I woke up he was just coming back from the store…”_ She told Charlotte. _“He got me a brand new pair and he even stopped at Gucci to get me one of those fancy sneakers so I could walk properly around New York with him,”_

“Aww, daddy is the best!” Charlotte threw one arm around his neck.

“He is,” she offered them a smile.

“Is this why you don’t want to walk the bridge with me, daddy?” She asked. “If you carried mom, carrying me will be piece of cake!”

 _“That was almost ten years ago, princess,”_ Fallon spoke up. _“Your dad is not that young anymore,”_

“We still have a couple of places to visit before we get to the bridge right, baby?” Liam asked their daughter. “If she behaves well, we can discuss walking back to Manhattan,”

 _“Guys, it was great talking to you but I really need to take a shower and have my skin care routine while Olivia is asleep,”_ she told them. _“Have fun in Brooklyn and Liam? Stop giving Charlotte sugar,”_

“We love you, mommy!” Charlotte exclaimed.

 _“I love you too!”_ Fallon replied before ending the call.

“Now what?” The five years old asked Liam.

“Dumbo and Carousel?” He suggested.

* * *

“Daddy, will you tell me more stories about you and mommy?” Charlotte asked softly as Liam lifted her off the floor to place her on the dark brown horse.

“Of course, princess,” he offered her a smile.

“Aren’t you going to ride a horse, dad?”

“I’m happy here with you, Charlie,” he ran a hand through her hair as she held onto the horse’s head. “Are you enjoying our day?”

“I am!” She exclaimed. “We should travel together more often,”

“We used to travel a lot, princess,” Liam stated. “We would get the jet and fly literally anywhere we wanted at least every three months,” he told her.

“Why did we stop?” She pouted.

“About a year and a half ago you and mommy got really hurt,” he began. “You don’t even remember it anymore, which I’m extremely grateful and thankful for, by the way, but it wasn’t pretty, baby,” he explained. “So we decided to stay in Atlanta and travel only if it was extremely necessary. We bough the cabin that summer so we could have somewhere different to spend our weekends and since it’s only a couple of hours from Atlanta by car, it would be easy to get there,”

“Then mommy got pregnant,” Charlotte added.

“We went to Europe that fall for a couple of weeks because of a book offer I received,” Liam continued. “I ended up refusing their offer but it gave us some well deserved vacation time,” he told her. “Then mommy got pregnant and we had to stop travelling for a little while,”

“When will Ollie be old enough to travel, daddy?” She asked. “I want to bring her here to show you all these cool places but I want to take her to Disney!” She threw one arm up in the air. “When can she meet Mickey and Minnie?”

“I would say spring, Charlie,”

“But that’s so many months away,” Charlotte groaned in complaint.

“A baby requires care and attention all day long at this point, princess,” Liam explained. “You see your mommy and I barely have time for anything else when we’re taking care of her, right?”

“Yeah, because Ollie can’t do anything by herself yet,”

“Exactly. Not to mention that she needs to eat and sleep at very specific times so she can grow and be as strong and healthy as you are,” he continued. “The first six months are extremely important for a baby and we need to do everything by the book, you know?” She nodded. “But once we’ve reached that mark, I’m sure we will be able to travel with Ollie,”

“I can’t wait to be able to travel with all three of you,” Liam wrapped an arm around Charlotte, pulling her against his chest in a hug. “We loved travelling with you even when you were a little baby… it was a lot of work and sometimes it could be quite stressful but I wouldn’t change a thing,” he placed a kiss on the top of her head. “I love travelling with your mom on romantic trips and everything but there’s something different about family trips,”

“I will travel with you every weekend if you want, daddy!” Charlotte smiled brightly.

“Unfortunately, we can’t travel every single weekend, princess,” Liam let out a soft laugh, “but I appreciate your offer,”

“I’m going to ask Santa for a Disney trip this Christmas,” she told him. “I will write him a nice letter saying it’s the first family trip we’re going to have with Ollie,”

“That sounds like a great idea, Charlie,”

“I mean, we go to the cabin sometimes but that doesn’t really count since we do nothing but eat, cuddle and watch movies when we’re there…” Charlotte murmured. “I’m also going to add it to my birthday’s gift list, just in case my letter to Santa gets lost in the mail,”

“Don’t you already have like twenty items on your birthday’s gift list?” Liam questioned. “You do know we’re still in October, right?”

“Grandpa said he will give me at least ten of those items,” she informed him.

“I’m sure he did,” he rolled his eyes. “Just remember that mommy and I are only giving you five items so you have to choose them wisely,”

“The new iPad is one of them, right?”

“That will depend highly on how well you’re going to behave for the next month and a half,”

“I will be nothing but an angel,” Charlotte replied softly. “Oh no, it’s over already?” She complained when the carousel stopped spinning.

“You want to ride again?” He asked.

“No, I’m okay,” she shrugged. “I feel like we need to take a few more photos now,”

“Well, lead the way then,” Liam spoke, placing her back on her feet before they stepped out of the carousel hand in hand.

“Charlie, hold on,” Liam spoke in a serious tone when the five years old started running. “We need to head back to the street so we can get to the other side of the bridge,” he informed her. “Would you please stay close to me?”

“Sorry, dad, I’m just too excited,” she admitted while approaching him.

“Maybe your mom is right about the sugar,” he mumbled.

“I didn’t even have that much today!” Charlotte shrugged.

“What about the secret M&M’s you have in your backpack?” Liam questioned.

“You allowed that,” she countered. “You even put them in a smaller bag so we could have some during the day,” she reminded him. “Besides, I didn’t eat a single one before lunch,”

“What do you say we have some right now?” He suggested and her eyes immediately sparkled.

“Well, I guess it would be rude of me to say no to such a thoughtful offer,” Charlotte replied. “Have I told you how funny you look with this Gucci backpack on your shoulder?” She giggled softly, her small hand covering her mouth as she waited for her father to get the bag of M&M’s.

“About five times,” Liam rolled his eyes playfully. “I would put the cash in my wallet but your grandmother decided to shower you with dollars and they won’t even fit inside my wallet,” he groaned.

“You’re rich, daddy,” she whispered, reaching for his hand so they could cross the street. “You should get a bigger wallet,”

“My money is safe and sound in the bank, baby,” he told her. “All I need is a credit card and some cash just in case of emergencies,”

“Guess you should make me a bank account then,” Charlotte suggested nonchalantly, jumping up and down as they approached Brooklyn Bridge Park, the main park on the other side of the bridge that faced downtown Manhattan. “I don’t know,” she paused, “just an idea,”

“You’re _five_ , Charlotte,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m almost six, you know?”

“That doesn’t really make a difference, princess,” he added. “Your grandmother shouldn’t have given you _any_ money, in the first place, let alone two grand in cash,”

“She was probably just trying to be nice, daddy,” Charlotte shrugged.

“Maybe we should just add this money to your college fund,” Liam mentioned. “It’s not like you need it right now,”

“Add to my Harvard money?” She pouted. “But I can’t get that until I’m eighteen and that’s forever away,”

“Harvard is very expensive, Charlie. We’re going to need all the money we can get so you can study there,” he told her.

“But I want to spend it...” She murmured, clearly upset that he kept suggesting storing the money away.

“Why don’t you ask your mom what you should do with it? You always tell me how good she is with money... she will know what to do,”

“Tell mom that Laura gave me money?” Charlotte gasped. “Mommy is going to kill me if she finds out I accepted money from the wicked witch,”

“If you call her that again, I’m going to throw your money in the river,” Liam reprimanded her, stopping dead on his tracks as he tightened the grip on her hand to turn her towards him. “And you won’t get to spend it or even save it for Harvard,”

“Mommy calls her that. Why can’t I?”

“Because that’s incredibly rude and impolite. You should never talk to anyone like that, let alone a family member,” he spoke seriously. “I will probably never understand why on Earth those two don’t get along with each other, but I’m not going to let you get dragged into their mess just because you want to act like your mother,” he continued. “You’re _Charlotte_ , not Fallon, and you’re a big girl, aren’t you?” She nodded as tears started to pool in her eyes. “Which means you’re old enough to know you shouldn’t call anyone that because we’re raising you to be an incredible woman,”

“Mom is an incredible woman,” she commented.

“I’m not saying she isn’t,” Liam paused. “Just that she has some flaws and she makes plenty of mistakes that we don’t want you to make,” he explained. “It’s okay if you want to copy all the great things your mom does but if you keep repeating her mistakes, we’re going to call you out on them,” his tone was firm. “Blake and Alexis might not have said anything when she was growing up but I’m not raising you to be rude to other people,”

“I’m sorry,” Charlotte apologized. “I won’t call her that anymore... it was an accident,”

“It wasn’t an accident, Charlie,” he crouched down on the floor so he could look at her properly, his blue eyes meeting her watery ones as he held onto her shoulders. “You learn new words every day and you’re learning some bad ones from your mom... sometimes you might not even realize they have a bad meaning behind it and you just say them out loud because you don’t know they might hurt the person that hears it,”

“I’m so sorry,” she rubbed one of her hands against her eyes as the tears began to fall.

“Your mom is an amazing mom, princess, but she has to be more careful about the things she’s been saying around you,” Liam sighed. “I’m going to have a serious talk with her because she probably didn’t even notice you’re getting her not so nice vocabulary,” his thumb traced the soft skin beneath her eyes to get ride of some of the tears. “I’m not angry at you, Charlie, I just want you to know that you shouldn’t use those words,” he spoke softly.

“Are you going to fight with mommy because of what I said?” She snuffled quietly.

“No, princess. I make mistakes too sometimes and your mom calls me out on them... that’s what marriage is about and specially what _parenthood_ is all about,” Liam told her. “We’re supposed to help each other be better just like we’re both supposed to raise you to be better than both of us. You wouldn’t have learned how to read at four years old if I hadn’t encouraged you to keep trying and you wouldn’t be a math freak at five if your mother hadn’t sat you on her legs for hours on end while she took care of our finances,” he smiled proudly. “You’re what you are because of everything we’ve been teaching you. It’s most definitely the most challenging and complicated job of all to be a parent but we look at you and we’re certain we’re doing things right,” he continued. “But sometimes we’re going to make mistakes, because we’re humans and that’s inevitable. The important thing is that we learn that what we did is wrong and never do it again,”

“So I should tell mom that she’s supposed to call Laura by her name when she says that?” Charlotte questioned.

“That would be nice, yes,” he nodded. “You’re an amazing little girl, princess. Don’t cry, okay?” He pulled her in for a warm and tight hug. “I’m sorry we had this argument during our walk but as your father, I need to tell you when you do something wrong,”

“I’m very sorry, daddy. Very, _very_ sorry,” she repeated. “I love you,” she wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning her head against his.

“I love you too, princess,” Liam ran a hand through her hair then placed a long kiss on the side of her head. “I’m not mad at you and I’m not mad at mommy, okay? I just think it’s important that I have a talk with each one of you about this so it doesn’t happen again...”

“Okay, daddy,”

“Come on, let’s keep walking, shall we?” He suggested while standing back up. “It’s okay to run now, if you want,” he added as they approached the path along the river.

“It is?” Charlotte exclaimed.

“As long as you stay close,” Liam reminded her, happy to finally see a smile back on her face. He hated having that kind of conversation with her, specially when they were in public but he knew how important it was to address the problem as soon as it happened.

As Charlotte started to jump up and down, her hair and dress flying with the wind, Liam fished his phone out of his pocket and took a couple of photos of her. The last thing he wanted was to ruin their day with a big speech about right and wrong but it had to be done. They were definitely lucky that Charlotte was a great kid and respected them above all else and as stubborn as she was, she always paid attention to what they had to say to her. He could see by the look in her eyes that she was indeed sorry about what had just happened and he could only hope that wouldn’t happen again.

**Liam:** _Had to give Charlotte quite a speech about not calling my mother a wicked witch._

 **Liam:** _Call her whatever you want. I’ve told you before that I’m not getting between the two of you anymore, but please don’t say that kind of stuff in front of Charlie._

 **Liam:** _I’m not mad... just thought you should know I had to scold her about saying that kind of stuff as if it was the most normal thing in the world._

 **Liam:** _I don’t mean to upset you but you should know what happened. We will talk about it later. Love you._

Liam texted his wife before returning to the camera app to record his daughter, who was jumping happily in front of the beautiful Manhattan skyline. He would probably spend the entire day thinking about their upsetting yet necessary conversation but the innocence and excitement of his daughter was enough to cheer him up. He knew being a father wasn’t always easy but he decided not to let it ruin their day. She had understood his lesson and there was no reason to keep thinking about that so all he could do was smile and focus on having as much fun as he could with his little girl.

“I didn’t know you could jump that high, baby!” Liam pretended to be surprised even though her feet were barely leaving the floor.

“I can!” Charlotte exclaimed. “See?” She asked, jumping again as she threw her arms up in the air.

“Wow, I’m impressed,” he replied. “I got some great photos of you...”

“Photos?” She asked, a bit horrified by the thought. “My eyes are probably all puffy and red,”

“You look very pretty, baby,” Liam reassured her. “You had a moment back there but you’re all happy now, aren’t you?”

“I guess,” Charlotte shrugged. “Oh, it’s cold,” she ran her hands up and down her arms.

“The temperature is dropping and the wind is always worst by the river,” he explained. “Which means it’s time you put your coat on,” he handed her the white piece.

“Really?” She pouted.

“Yes, princess,” he nodded, holding it out for her so she could slip her hands through the sleeves. “We don’t want to have to go back home just because you’re sick, right?”

“No, no, no,” Charlotte shook her head.

“Good,” Liam added.

* * *

“Would you take a photo of me and my daddy, please?” Charlotte asked a teenage girl that was snapping photos of the skyline.

“Of course,” she offered the five years old a smile. “Smile!”

“Can we turn towards the city?” She asked.

“Charlie... she’s busy,” Liam mumbled.

“That’s okay,” the girl laughed softly as she waited for them to turn around.

Lifting Charlotte off the floor, he sat her on the brown grid at the side of the bridge and held onto her knees tightly as they both turned towards the Manhattan skyline.

“I took a few so you can choose the ones you like the most,” she informed as she handed Liam his phone back.

“Thank you!” Charlotte exclaimed while Liam placed her back on her feet. “Do you want me to take one of you? Since you’re alone...” She offered. “I’m really good at taking photos,”

“If you don’t mind,” she shrugged.

“No, of course not,” the five years old smiled, reaching for the girl’s camera. “See if you like them!” Charlotte spoke after a couple of minutes.

“Oh, you’re a great photographer indeed,” she replied. “Thank you, I love them,”

“You’re welcome,”

“I have to get going now, bye!” She waved at them before resuming her walk towards Brooklyn.

“We should get going too, princess,” Liam spoke while reaching for her hand.

“I’m going to walk this entire bridge all by myself, you will see,” Charlotte told him.

“Are you sure about that?” He chuckled. “It’s a long way back to Manhattan,”

“Well, I will _try_ ,”

“That seems more like the Charlotte I know,” he laughed. “It’s okay if you can’t do it though, princess. We’ve been walking for quite a while already,”

“I will let you know if I get tired, daddy,”

“Alright, alright,” Liam nodded. “Just walk in front of me so you’re not in anybody’s way,” he requested.

“Why are so many people walking here anyway?” Charlotte questioned.

“It’s a famous spot for tourists and photos but some people like to jog or even ride a bike here because of the pretty view while they exercise,” he told her.

“It’s not as bad as Times Square was last night but it still seems too crowded for me,” she commented.

“Just stay close to daddy and you’ll be fine, Charlie,” he reassured her.

“Can we take more photos?” Charlotte asked.

“Why don’t we walk a little bit more before we stop for more photos?” Liam suggested. “We’ve taken a lot of photos with Manhattan behind us... if we keep walking, we will be able to take some shots of Brooklyn too,” he explained. “Just enjoy the view for a little while, princess,”

About half an hour later, they were about to reach the second stone tower when Charlotte stopped walking and plopped down on one of the wooden benches.

“I give up,” she groaned with a sigh.

“We’re almost there, baby,”

“I tried my best but my feet just won’t work anymore, daddy,” Charlotte admitted. “I wanted to tell mommy that I walked the whole bridge but now I’m going to disappoint her,”

“You’re not going to disappoint anyone, princess,” Liam spoke while taking a seat next to her. “I thought you were going to ask me to carry you a long time ago but you still walked most of the bridge without any help,” he said softly. “You’re just a kid, Charlie. You don’t need to push yourself too hard about it... I know you can’t handle such a long walk and I don’t want you to hurt yourself just to prove your mom that you did it,”

“I’m so tired,” she leaned against his body.

“Princess, we were up late last night and we woke up early this morning to meet your grandma for breakfast,” he reminded her. “We’ve been walking for quite a while and you ran and jumped all over and all that energy is finally wearing out,” he chuckled. “We will get a cab and go straight back to the hotel once we get to Manhattan, okay?”

“Can you carry me the rest of the way?” Charlotte begged.

“Yeah, of course,” Liam nodded. “I will crouch down on the floor and you get on my shoulders, okay? It’s easier to carry you this way,”

“Yeah,” she replied, holding tightly onto his hands as he helped her settle each leg on each side of his neck.

“You good up there?” He looked upwards, sliding his hands down her body so he could hold her legs against his chest.

“I’m good, daddy,” Charlotte offered him a smile before a long and loud yawn escaped her lips. “This would make a nice photo, daddy,”

“I thought you were too tired for more photos?” Liam frowned.

“Just one more, please,” she insisted. “Just ask someone, daddy, please... you carrying me through the famous Brooklyn Bridge!” She exclaimed, throwing one arm up in the air as the other held onto his neck.

“One more photo and when we get back to the hotel you’re going to take a bath and lie down for a long nap, Miss Ridley,”

“We have a deal, Mr. Ridley,”

**SUNDAY**

“Run! Run! Run!” Charlotte screamed, jumping off her seat as if it had burned her. “Touchdown!” She threw her arms up in the air when the Giants scored another six points.

As exciting as the match was, Liam couldn’t focus on anyone but his five years old. She had started showing more interest in watching the NFL with him over the past year and he couldn’t be happier that he finally had a football partner, just like he used to have back when he was a child himself.

Liam had been recording her reactions for quite a while, mostly to show Fallon how much fun their daughter was having but also to keep that kind of memory saved forever. Charlotte was growing up faster and no matter how old she was, he would always be able to watch that moment again.

Holding the phone in front of him, he swiped left to return to the photo camera to snap a couple of shots of her while she cheered for their favorite team and celebrated their most recent touchdown. He had chosen front row seats on one of the levels by the fifty yards mark to offer Charlotte an incredible experience since she could see and hear everything from being so close to the field.

Her hands were gripping the small concrete wall that separated the crowd from the field as she jumped up and down in excitement. Charlotte was watching the team in awe as one of the players attempted to score the extra point and Liam was able to capture the exact moment she threw her arms up when the ball flew right between the high goalposts. The large sleeves from the jersey he used to wear to every single match he watched with his father during his young teenage years sliding down her arms and pooling at her shoulders.

_“What is this?” Charlotte stepped out of the bathroom in her bathrobe after brushing her teeth and noticed a box lying on the bed. “This wasn’t here when I left,” she mentioned, throwing him a puzzled look._

_“That’s because I just put it there,” Liam took a sip of his coffee. “It’s a gift for you,” he leaned against the wall and a grin appeared on his lips as he watched her approach the bed._

_Liam still couldn’t quite believe Charlotte had actually called the hotel reception herself to request a bathrobe her size. He had been even more surprised when they returned to their room the night before and the child bathrobe was hanging right next to the adult one in the bathroom, a perfect replica of the one he had been wearing since it even had “The Plaza” embroidered in gold cursive letter on it. She had dressed in it after her morning shower and had even tied her hair up in a bun just like her mother used to do._

_“How did you even buy me a gift, daddy?” Charlotte’s eyes widened in surprise. “I’ve been right by your side the whole time!” She exclaimed while jumping on the bed._

_“I brought this one from Atlanta, actually,” he replied._

_“Can I open it?” She looked up at him while her small hands reached for the white box._

_“Of course!”_

_“Wow,” her jaw fell in shock and surprise when her eyes landed on the two NFL tickets sitting right on top of a blue New York Giants jersey. “Are we going to the stadium?” She grabbed the two tickets and traced her thumb over the logo._

_“We are, this afternoon in fact,” Liam told her, setting his mug by the coffee machine before walking towards the bed._

_“This is huge, daddy!” Charlotte stood up on the mattress and jumped into his arms, wrapping her arms as tight as she could around his neck while she covered his face with kisses. “And I get to wear my own jersey!” She exclaimed. “You,” she kissed his cheek, “are,” his nose, “the,” his other cheek, “best!” Then placed a quick peck on his lips._

_“It’s not exactly your own jersey,” he began as he settled her legs on each side of his body, “but it can be from now on, if you want,”_

Charlotte had dressed in jeans, a white sweater and her favorite Gucci sneakers before putting on her father’s jersey. It was the exact same jersey John had given him for his eleventh birthday, so they could enjoy the following season together by going to every single Giants game around the country. Liam couldn’t even remember watching a game without it until it became too small to fit his late teenager body.

Taking Charlotte to her first football match, where their favorite team was playing in their own home stadium, was beyond special but nothing could compare to the what his heart was feeling as he read the word on her upper back: **LOWDEN**.

For the first time, the five years old didn’t mind that the sleeves ended at her elbows and that the jersey went all the way her knees. It was her father’s special jersey and while it looked quite big on her small body, she couldn’t imagine wearing any other outfit to that match.

“This game is insane!” Charlotte turned towards him, her low pigtails flying with her body’s movement as she reached for the nachos on his lap.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it, princess,” Liam offered him a smile.

“I don’t think I understand much that’s happening but it’s so cool,” Charlotte commented before throwing a couple nachos in her mouth.

“You’re doing great, baby,” he grabbed one of her pigtails and ran his thumb gently over the thin bow made of the blue satin ribbon Charlotte had insisted it was the perfect final touch to her hair.

“I love your New York, daddy!” She threw her arms around him and enveloped him in a tight hug. “I mean, Liam Ridley’s New York and Jack Lowden’s New York are so different from each other even though you’re the same person!”

“This New York is from my childhood, baby,” Liam gestured to the field in front of them. “The other one is the city I got to know as I was growing up... the things I liked to do here before I decided to move to Atlanta,” he explained.

“I still can’t believe your name is not Liam,” she plopped down on the seat next to his and leaned forward to reach for the straw with her mouth, taking a large gulp of her coke. “That’s just so...” She paused, not knowing exactly what she wanted to say. “Crazy and difficult to understand,”

“I changed my name legally, princess,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh at her puzzled face, “which means Liam _is_ my name,”

“It’s not the name your mom and dad gave you though,” Charlotte stated while reaching for more nachos. “Break time!” She announced once the players started to walk off the field towards the sidelines. “Can we get hot dogs now?”

“I thought we were going to Cipriani for dinner,” Liam shrugged.

“There are still two quarters left and then we need to head _all_ the way back to Manhattan,” she informed him. “We need to stop at the hotel to shower because we can wear these for dinner,” she gestured between them.

“Okay, but only because you ate a caprese salad for lunch,” he nodded. “Your mom’s been texting me nonstop about all the sugar you’re having,”

“One hot dog and I won’t eat anything until dinner, daddy. I promise!” Charlotte told him. “Why did you change your name, dad?” She asked, looking up at him once they reached the hot dog’s line.

“You know how crazy mom’s family is?” She replied with a nod. “Well, mine’s a thousand times worse and it got to a point where the only way out was to leave and start fresh,” he explained. “So I changed my name and moved to Atlanta,”

“Does _mom_ know your real name is Jack?” She frowned.

“Of course she knows, princess,” Liam placed one hand on the back of her head to guide her forward. “It was actually what our first fight was about,”

“Why did you fight?” She asked, always the curious one.

“Mommy got mad that I didn’t tell her about my real identity,” he shrugged, not wanting to get into too much detail with his five years old.

“Oh no,” Charlotte murmured. “You should never lie… you and mommy taught me that,” she added. “How come you didn’t know that back then?”

“I was stupid and I didn’t really think it would be something important to mention,”

“What can I get you?” The young man across the counter asked them.

“Two hot dogs, please,” Liam requested while pulling his wallet out of his pocket, “and a diet coke,”

“Extra ketchup on mine, please,” Charlotte added. “Thank you, Sir,” she offered the older man a smile when he held one of the hot dogs out for her.

“Careful not to drop ketchup all over my jersey,”

“Don’t worry, daddy, your special jersey is in very good hands,” she smiled before leaning forward to take a large bite of her hot dog. “Why do you and mom have so many last names and Ollie and I only got Ridley? She questioned as they walked back to their seats.

“Because Ridley is our family name, Charlie,” Liam chuckled.

“Charlotte Grace Carrington Lowden Ridley,” the five years old spoke. “I like how it sounds,”

“It sounds too long, baby,” Liam let out a loud laugh.

“It sounds like a _princess_ name!”

“If you still like that by the time you turn eighteen, you can consider adding those other two to your name,” he suggested.

“Well, I’m turning six in two months. I’m getting closer to eighteen and I like that name a lot,”

“I think your name is pretty just as it is,” Liam mentioned, following Charlotte’s feet carefully with his eyes at every step she took.

“Well, we’ll see,” Charlotte shrugged. “I kind of like my monogram with only three letters,”

**MONDAY**

“Are you watching me, dad?” Charlotte screamed as she gathered speed on her ice skates.

Liam was only a couple of feet behind her, recording the five years old as she skated perfectly. They used to ice skate once in a while in Atlanta but Charlotte had managed to surprise him with how good she actually was. They had been in the ice rink for half an hour and she hadn’t lost her balance once, let alone bump into other people or even worse, fall on the ice. She threw her arms up in the air for a moment then made her way towards one of the ends of the rink.

“Say hi to the camera, princess!” Liam suggested while approaching her.

“Hello!” She waved at him. “Is this for mom?”

“It can be,” he nodded.

“Hi mommy!” Charlotte exclaimed before blowing her mother a greeting kiss. “Did dad show you me skating?”

“I did,” Liam told her. “I’m sure she’s very proud to see how well you’ve been doing on the skates,”

“Can you believe that daddy slipped, mom?” She asked the camera. “At first I laughed because he was shaking his body in such a funny way trying not to fall but then I got worried because he fell on his butt!”

“Hey, that was supposed to be _our_ little secret!” He countered.

“You can’t have secrets from mom, dad,” Charlotte rolled her eyes. “Secrets in a marriage are one of the first step towards divorce. Did you know that?”

“I did, yes, but may I ask where you learned that?” Liam questioned, crossing his arms against his chest.

“I found one of mom’s magazines in the living room one of these days and there was this interesting article about what you should and shouldn’t do in a marriage,” she told him. “I figured it would be useful,” she shrugged.

“You’re five, Charlotte,” he sighed while running a hand through his hair. “How is marriage stuff going to be useful for you?”

“Well, I just told you that you shouldn’t keep secrets from mom so that was useful advice, right?” Charlotte offered him an ear to ear smile before turning back to the camera. “I apologize for the distraction, mom, but anyway... daddy is fine and walking again! I think his butt is a little wet but he’s doing just fine,” she turned the phone towards him and he could only sigh at the camera.

“You see how sassy this little girl is, right?” He asked the camera. “Perhaps you shouldn’t leave your stuff behind because Charlotte is clearly reading more than she should,”

“Let’s keep skating, dad. Bye mom!”

“Can’t your old man rest for a few minutes?” He questioned.

“You’re not old, daddy,” the five years old rolled her eyes. “Are you still hurt because of your fall?” She stared up at him while he put his iPhone away. “You can hold my hand if you want,” she offered him a smile. “I won’t let you fall again, daddy!”

“If I hold your hand... do you promise not to skate too fast?” Charlotte’s intention were so pure and sweet he could only accept her offer, as if he actually needed her help to skate around the ice rink.

Although Liam had experienced a not so exciting fall, he had never really had problems with ice skating before. Growing up in New York, he would spend most of his weekends during winter skating in Central Park and while he hadn’t put on ice skates in what felt like years, he was still pretty confident he could skate better than most people in that rink.

However, that afternoon, the only thing that mattered was the five years old that he could only guess was trying to conquer the world inside that ice rink at Rockfeller Center. His eyes were glued on Charlotte’s body and he was so focused on watching her he barely noticed the people around him, which had eventually led to his silly fall.

“Of course, dad,” she replied. “Do you know how much time we have left? I don’t want to miss our time frame to visit the Top of the Rock,”

“I think we have about twenty minutes, princess,” Liam told her. “We have plenty of time so there’s nothing to worry about, okay?”

“Then hold my hand so we can skate a little bit more,” Charlotte laced her fingers in his then started guiding him back to the center of the rink. “Let’s show these kids how it’s done, daddy!”

The next twenty minutes went by fast and as soon as Liam and Charlotte put their shoes back on and left the ice rink, they began walking towards the entrance of the Observation Deck building.

“Are you _sure_ this observatory is better than the Empire State?” Charlotte questioned with a frown. “This building looks just like all of the others...” she shrugged.

She had been asking him to go to the top of the Empire State Building ever since they landed in New York but Liam insisted she would be much happier with the view the Top of the Rock had to offer.

“You go to an observatory because of the _view_ it offers, princess, not the building itself,” Liam explained. “We can visit the Empire State if you’re not satisfied here but I promise you that you won’t be disappointed with this view,”

Liam had both hands on Charlotte’s shoulders when the elevator’s doors opened right in front of them and he could feel how anxious and excited the five years old was by the way her body was slightly moving up and down. As they stepped out of the elevator, Liam made sure to turn Charlotte’s small body towards the door that led to view of north Manhattan before she could even _think_ about where she wanted to go first.

“Look at all these buildings!” Charlotte exclaimed, walking through the door Liam had just opened for her. “Look at that one, dad!” She pointed towards the slim and incredibly tall skyscraper to their right. “It’s so big I think it’s touching the clouds!”

“I’m pretty sure that’s one of the tallest buildings in New York, princess,” he spoke while standing right behind her as she approached the glass windows.

“Can we visit that one too?” She leaned her head all the way back so she could look up at him.

“I’m afraid not, Charlie. That building is residential,”

“What is residential?” She questioned.

“It means that it’s a building with apartments instead of offices and that people live there,” Liam explained. “I heard it’s in the Billionaires’ Row,”

“Billionaires’ Row?” The five years old frowned in confusion.

“It’s the name they give to the luxury residential skyscrapers arrayed along the southern end of Central Park,” he told her. “An apartment there costs millions and millions of dollars,”

“Can we live there?” Charlotte’s eyes sparkled. “Can you imagine touching the clouds every morning when you wake up?” She wondered. “Come here,” she gestured for him to crouch down in order to get closer to her. “If we’re billionaires,” she whispered in his ear, using her small hand to cover her lips while she talked. “We can have an apartment there, right?” She continued, using her lowest voice as she looked around to make sure no one was listening. Her parents had taught her to never say anything like that in public for their own safety so she had to be extra careful while sharing that thought with her father.

“Well, mommy and I are very happy with our current home in Atlanta, princess,” Liam ran a hand through her hair while standing up. “Besides, that’s _way_ too much money to spend on a single apartment,” he spoke softly as Charlotte turned back towards the skyline in front of her, resting her forehead against the glass.

“I’m glad you didn’t agree to my idea of walking the entire park,” she murmured, changing the subject of their conversation. “That thing is huge!”

“It’s not like it’s impossible, Charlie,” Liam chuckled. “I used to run all over it when I was younger but I know you pretty well to know you’d ask me to carry you before we could even walk a whole mile,” he spoke before he started tickling her. Suddenly, Charlotte burst out laughing and she couldn’t help but squirm in her father’s embrace as she tried so desperately to get away from his tickling hands. “Just like you did on the Brooklyn Bridge, Miss Ridley,” he continued, moving his hands up her torso so he could reach her armpits.

“Daddy, that is not fair!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Stop tickling me,” her mouth was open wide from all the laughing and he could swear there were tears in her eyes. “I’m running out of air!”

“Okay, okay,” he sighed, but not before placing a loud smack on her forehead. “Do you want to take some photos here?”

“Yes, of course,” she nodded. “How is my hair?”

“Perfect, princess,” he giggled. “Do you want any specific shot or should I just take random ones?”

“Take random ones,” Charlotte instructed him. “As much as you can, daddy, so I can choose the ones I like the most later,”

“So all I have to do is keep tapping the button right?” Liam questioned.

“Exactly!” She responded while he held his iPhone in front of him.

“Say cheese!” He exclaimed.

Charlotte started by smiling at the camera and trying her usual poses, like placing one hand on her hips or blowing a kiss to the camera with both her hands on her knees as she leaned forward.

“I want photos like that, dad,” Charlotte turned towards him while pointing to a girl that he could only guess was a tourist in her twenties, probably visiting New York for the first time based on the amount of photos her friend was taking of her. “I’m going to look at the view and you take some photos of me from behind, okay?” She asked him, her eyes still focused on the girl so she could do the exact same pose. “Also, let me know when I need to change poses,”

“Okay, ma’am,” he nodded, taking a few steps back so he could capture more of the skyline while Charlotte stood right in the middle of the shot.

“I’m going to play with my hair now so try to get it flying with the wind, daddy!”

Charlotte turned around to give him the instructions for the following photos before turning back towards the city. It took her about twenty more minutes to pose in every single way she wanted and to feel satisfied with the photos Liam had taken.

“Now why don’t I show you the best part of this observatory?” Liam suggested while reaching for her hand.

“Okay!”

Lacing her fingers around his, Charlotte allowed her father to guide her to the other side of the building. She was so entertained and focused on all the buildings around her that she didn’t even notice when they arrived exactly where Liam intended to take her.

“Charlotte,” he called out for her and as soon as she turned her head slightly to the left, her jaw fell to the floor and her eyes widened.

“WOW!” Charlotte exclaimed. “This is...” She murmured, taking a couple of steps towards the glass. “This is the Empire State Building!” She added, jumping up and down in pure excitement as she stared at the famous skyscraper, standing grandly right in front of her as its gray color contrasted perfectly with the bright blue of the sky. “Oh my god,” she gasped again before taking one hand to her mouth while the other remained glued to the glass.

“Told you this view was better,” Liam spoke softly. “When you love the Empire State so much, this is the place you have to visit,” he told her. “I mean, the view there is just as beautiful as this one but here you can actually see the Empire State along with all the other buildings in Manhattan,” he explained.

“I love it, daddy! You really know New York, don’t you?” She asked.

“Well, I’ve lived here for a really long time, baby,” he couldn’t help but laugh.

“The Empire State is now my favorite building, dad,” Charlotte told him. “I love this view so much!”

“Here,” Liam pulled a few coins from the pocket of his jeans then handed them over to her. “Put them in one of the binoculars so you can see the Empire State up close,”

As Charlotte stepped onto the bars of one of the binoculars, Liam stood a few feet away from her so he could capture that moment on camera. Reaching for his phone, he quickly accessed the camera by tapping the small camera icon on the bottom right of his lock screen.

Liam had just closed Instagram, after having posted a story of his five years old staring at the Empire State Building through the binocular, when Fallon’s face appeared on his screen. He willingly accepted the facetime call but only waved at her silently before switching to the back camera of his phone to show her their daughter.

 _“Aw, you took her to the Top of the Rock,”_ Fallon smiled.

“She wouldn’t stop talking about the Empire State and how she wanted to go all the way to the top,” Liam told his wife. “This is definitely the best place to see that building and you should have seen her face when she realized it was right in front of her,” he giggled.

 _“I bet that was so sweet,”_ she replied. _“I really wish Olivia and I could be there with you...”_

“Charlie is over the moon, babe,” he told her while switching to the front camera. “She sends you photos and videos all the time so you can see how much fun she’s having and she’s been great, Fal,” he spoke softly. “She listens when I tell her what to do and she’s the sweetest girl. We’ve never done anything like this, just me and her, but I’m so glad you convinced me to do this, babe,” he admitted. “She’s having a great time getting to know New York now that she’s a little older, even though she’s been to most of these places already, but I’m having the time of my life just by spending these few days with her and watching how happy she is,”

 _“I knew this trip would be good for both of you, babe,”_ Fallon began. _“Charlotte’s already noticed how clingy you and Olivia are too each other... apparently she understands that a baby as young as Liv needs all of our focus and attention but I really don’t want her to think she’s being replaced,”_ she explained. _“She was an only child for five and a half years and we both know our girl is quite spoiled,”_

“Every time she buys something, she immediately tells me she’s taking something to Olivia too as a souvenir,” Liam mentioned. “She asks about you two all the time and she tells me how much she misses you every night before we fall asleep. It might take her some time to really get used to the idea of having a baby sister but so far, I would say Charlie is doing great, Fal,”

 _“You’re right, you’re right,”_ she nodded. _“I know I’m probably overreacting,”_

“Look at her, babe,” switching back to the back camera, he showed Fallon how their five years old was still staring at the city in front of her with both hands and her forehead on the glass. “This kind of reminds me of the day we went to the top of the Eiffel Tower, remember?” He asked, bringing back memories from almost five years back. “She was only one year old but she was so in awe with the view and the city...”

 _“Of course I remember,”_ her eyes sparkled and she didn’t even notice the tears pooling in them at that memory. _“Charlie took me there for my birthday... so I wouldn’t be traumatized by that place anymore. I couldn’t have gotten a better birthday present that year,”_ she confessed.

“Is that mom?” Charlotte turned her head around the second she heard her mother’s voice behind her. “Hi mommy!” She exclaimed while waving at the camera.

“Fal, give us a minute,” Liam requested, taking Charlotte’s hand in his so they could walk towards one of the benches.

That floor was starting to get more crowded as a group tour had just arrived and everyone seemed to be trying to take the same photo at the same time. Taking a seat on the wooden bench, Liam pulled Charlotte to sit on his lap then gave her his iPhone before wrapping both arms around her small frame.

 _“Did you like seeing the Empire State from up there, princess?”_ Fallon asked as soon as Charlotte’s face appeared.

“Yes, mommy, so much!” Charlotte nodded. “I didn’t really believe daddy when he said this building was better but now I do!”

 _“Your dad is very smart, Charlie, and he knows everything there is to know about New York,”_ she told her daughter.

“He does,” she murmured. “I’m also making notes on my diary of all the places we’ve visited before I go to bed so I can bring Ollie when she’s older,”

“You are?” Liam and Fallon asked at the same time, both very surprised at their daughter’s initiative.

“Yes. I might be pretty smart but by the time Ollie is old enough to go sightseeing with me, I will probably have forgotten everything,” Charlotte exclaimed. “So I’m writing everything down just to be sure,” she told them.

“That’s really sweet, princess,” Liam placed a kiss on the top of her head.

 _“I’m sure Ollie will love getting to know all of those places with you, Charlie,”_ Fallon mentioned. _“Just like you’re having a good time with daddy,”_

“It will be the _four_ of us next time, right?” She questioned. “It can’t really be just Ollie and me... because we’re too little to travel by ourselves,”

 _“Yeah, baby,”_ Fallon let out a soft laugh. _“We’ll all be together next time you fly to New York, okay?”_ She reassured the five years old. _“So make sure you write all the details down so we don’t miss anything,”_

“I will, mom!” Charlotte offered her a smile. “Is that Ollie?” She frowned when she heard a soft cry in the background.

 _“Yeah,”_ Fallon sighed. _“I put her down right before calling you two but she’s not in the napping mood today for some reason,”_ she groaned.

“Is everything okay, Fallon?” Liam’s tone suddenly changed into a serious and worried one.

 _“Yeah,”_ she replied instantly so he wouldn’t think the worst about their baby girl. _“It’s incredibly hot here today and I don’t like to keep the AC on for too long in her room so she’s probably just bothered by that,”_ she explained while heading down the hallway towards the youngest Ridley’s bedroom. _“I will give her a bath and hopefully she will fall back asleep before I even take her out of the tub,”_

“Okay, just please let me know if something feels off, babe,” he requested. “Charlotte and I will take a few more photos up here and then we will start heading back to the hotel but call me if you need anything. I will pick up right away,”

 _“I will, Liam, but really, don’t worry about it,”_ Fallon told him. _“She’s probably just cranky but it’s nothing I can handle. We both know you have the most stubborn and challenging Ridley of all there with you,”_ she teased.

“Hey! I am adorable!” Charlotte exclaimed.

 _“If only you knew how many hours a night your dad and I slept when you were Olivia’s age...”_ She rolled her eyes.

“How many?” The five years old asked curiously.

 _“Probably half of what we sleep with Olivia. Maybe even less,”_ Fallon murmured and suddenly, the crying intensified as she walked into the dimly lit bedroom. _“I will put the phone away so I can get her, okay? I love you two,”_

“We love you too, mom!”

“Give Olivia a kiss from us, babe,” Liam requested before ending the call. “Come on, princess, let’s finish our tour so we can go,”

* * *

“Donuts, donuts, I love donuts,” Charlotte sang as they waited for the young man to finish setting up their box. “What are we doing tonight, dad?” She looked up at him.

“I don’t really have anything planned, baby,” Liam admitted. “It’s still four o’clock and I would like to rest at the hotel for a couple of hours but we can go out, if you want,”

“Are you going to the gym today?” She asked.

“Thank you,” he offered the man a smile as he reached for the large paper box. “I feel like I should after this box of donuts but I’m not sure,” he mentioned while walking out of the small shop.

“As long as you let me use the iPad while you’re working out... that’s fine by me,” Charlotte shrugged. “Can we sit here?” She pointed at the table right outside The Doughnut Project. “I want to eat them while they’re still warm and fresh,”

“Of course,” Liam nodded, placing the box on the table so he could pull up a chair for her. “I would like you to put on your jacket though because the temperature is dropping and I don’t want you getting sick,” he requested.

“Okay, hold my purse, please,” she handed him the small Kate Spade cross body bag before getting the jean jacket from around her waist. “Oh my god, dad, my hair is a mess!” Her eyes widened when she checked her reflection on the store’s window. “How did you let me walk around like this?” She shook her head in disbelief.

“It’s not bad, Charlie,” Liam could only roll his eyes. “It’s only slightly messy because of the wind but nothing you should worry about. You’re still just as pretty,”

“I don’t like when my hair is messy, daddy,” Charlotte told him. “Could you please fix it for me?”

“What should I do?” He approached her, standing right behind her as she sat up straight on the chair.

“A bun is fine,” she murmured.

Liam removed the small elastic that was keeping part of Charlotte’s hair back, placing it on his right wrist before he started to run his fingers through her brown waves softly to get rid of the knots caused by the wind. Her hair was getting longer everyday and the more it grew, the more it looked like Fallon’s.

Once he was done with the knots, he pulled it all back as if he was going to do a ponytail but quickly wrapped it all around so he could make a bun. Taking the elastic band from his wrist, he placed it carefully on the perfect bun before adjusting her hair around it so the band wouldn’t be evident, exactly like Fallon used to do on her own hair and exactly like Charlotte had grown to like it in her hair.

“Better?” Liam asked.

“Yes!” Charlotte exclaimed while checking it on the window. “Thanks, daddy. I feel a lot better now,” she offered him a smile as he took a seat across from her. “Let’s check out this donuts now,” she spoke while opening the box. “Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about!”

“We’re going to keep most of them for after dinner, princess,” he reminded her of their agreement as he snapped a couple of photos of the five years old, her eyes wide as she stared at the donuts.

“Do you know any great restaurants for sushi?” She asked him.

“I do know some,” Liam nodded. “We could take a ferry boat ride tonight so you can see what the skyline looks like when the sun is down and all the lights from the buildings are on,” he suggested.

“That sounds romantic,” she commented. “Have you ever taken mommy on one of those rides?”

“They have romantic rides, yes,” he couldn’t help but laugh at her statement. “With champagne, roses and everything but they also have other rides, princess,” he told her. “Mom doesn’t really like this romantic stuff in public so she’s never really agreed to it when I suggested it,”

“Well, it does sound like fun since we don’t have anything planned for tonight,” Charlotte mentioned before taking a large bite of her donut. “And if you’re really working out when we get to back to the hotel I might just catch up with the most recent movies on Disney Plus,” she added. “Those mats they have at the gym are not really comfortable though,”

“That’s because it’s a gym, Charlie,” Liam chuckled. “If they were as comfortable as a bed, no one would be able to work out without falling asleep,”

“Thank god I got mom’s body,” she shrugged. “She’s very pretty and she doesn’t even work out,”

“Maybe you should start waking up a bit earlier to see that’s not true,” he countered. “Not to mention that she hardly ever eats carbs. Even the pasta she likes is gluten free and all that fancy diet stuff,”

“Are you saying I need to start working out?” Charlotte frowned.

“No, because you’re only five,” Liam shook his head. “Playing tennis and taking swimming lessons is enough for now. I’m just saying you shouldn’t rely on genetics all that much,” he explained. “Your mom might say she doesn’t work out but ever since you were born, she’s become quite a gym regular. She doesn’t really enjoy it as much as I do and she only does it so she will keep wearing those designer outfits she loves so much,”

“I seriously don’t understand how you enjoy holding those things that you can barely lift off the floor without groaning and then getting all sweaty and sticky,” the five years old rolled her eyes. “It looks like you’re torturing yourself and you always look red as a tomato,” she added. “Not to mention that you spend half an hour running when you’re clearly not getting anywhere since you don’t even get out of the same spot,” she shrugged. “Why run if you’re just going to end up at the _exact_ same place you started? That makes no sense, daddy,”

“One day you’ll probably understand,” he laughed. “You can focus on your donuts for now though, princess. You practice enough sports to be as healthy as you can be even with all the junk food you like to eat, don’t worry,”

“Maybe you should let me have the whole box then, daddy,” Charlotte suggested. “Since these donuts are clearly bad for your body, you know,” she teased him.

“Don’t even try to use those puppy eyes on me, Miss Ridley,” Liam smirked, shaking his head. “They might work flawlessly on your mom but I’ve learned how to deal with them,”

**TUESDAY**

It was still raining when Charlotte woke up that morning. Liam had been up for a couple of hours but since the weather outside was quite disappointing, he walked right back to bed after freshening up, grabbing his laptop from his suitcase, and decided to let his daughter sleep for a little longer.

The temperature had dropped drastically over night and while the weather app on his phone informed that there would be no rain after noon, he could only imagine how upset Charlotte would be once she found out about the sudden change in the weather. They had planned to go to Central Park that morning and even though it wasn’t unusual for fall weather to change abruptly like that, it was definitely messing up with their plans.

As Liam read the dozens of e-mails in his inbox, he couldn’t resist glancing at the little girl sleeping soundly next to him every five minutes. Charlotte was buried underneath the heavy white blanket and all he could see was her face - eyes covered by a pink sleeping mask - and her small hands cradling the brown teddy bear, wearing a dark blue New York Giants jersey, that she had bought at the MetLife Stadium the day before. He could have probably replied to every single e-mail before Charlotte woke up, but he stared at her for so long he was only able to answer half of them.

Even after almost six years, Liam was still surprised about how Charlotte slept exactly like Fallon did. Always lying on the same side, hugging something against their chest and with such a peaceful and relaxing look on their faces. It still amazed him that she was and acted so much like Fallon and he couldn’t wait to find out what his baby girl would grow up to be like.

While Olivia was proving to be quite a daddy’s girl, he could only hope that she would have more of his calm and easy personality. He was incredibly happy with the family he and Fallon had built together and it would be the perfect combo if Olivia took after him since Charlotte had definitely taken after her mother.

“Daddy?” The five years mumbled still half asleep. “You awake?” She asked while pushing her sleep mask up her forehead.

“I am, princess,” Liam offered her a smile before turning to his left to place his laptop on the nightstand. “Did you sleep well?”

“I did,” she nodded, letting out a loud yawn as he ran a hand softly through her hair. “What time is it?”

“Almost ten,” he replied.

“Ten?” Charlotte practically jumped on the bed. “What about Central Park?”

“I hate to tell you this, baby, but look outside,” Liam gestured towards the window across the room.

“No!” She exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air when she noticed the water drops running fast down the glass.

“We could check the museum of natural history after lunch,” he suggested. “It’s not supposed to rain later this afternoon so we can probably go to Central Park afterwards?”

“Yeah...” Charlotte murmured, clearly upset by the current weather. “That seems to be the only way,” she shrugged. “I should go brush my teeth so I can start getting ready,” she mentioned while jumping off the king size bed.

“You want me to sort an outfit for you?” Liam asked, reaching for his iPhone while she stepped into the bathroom.

“That’s okay, daddy. You should just get ready too so we can leave soon,” she replied.

“Sure,” he nodded.

Hitting the messages’ app for what was probably the tenth time that morning, Liam quickly opened his conversation with Fallon to check if she had finally replied to his texts, which she hadn’t. He tried calling her again but still couldn’t reach his wife. He wondered if she had fallen back asleep since Olivia usually woke up quite early to be fed and changed. Deciding against worrying about that, he threw his phone on the mattress then stood up so he could join Charlotte in the bathroom.

* * *

“Alexis, what’s going on?” Liam asked the best way he could, trying to speak in a low tone so Charlotte wouldn’t notice how unease he was feeling. “I’ve been trying to reach Fallon for hours and her phone goes straight to voicemail,”

 _“Fallon is okay, Liam, if that’s what you’re worried about,”_ Alexis started. _“She asked me to watch Olivia for a couple of hours while she took care of something, that’s all,”_

“Took care of what, Alexis?” He insisted.

 _“Daddy, can you pass me the cheese, please?”_ Charlotte requested, pointing to the small iron bowl next to his right hand.

“Here, princess,” Liam offered her the grated parmesan. “Go easy on it, Charlotte,” he tried to add but the five years old had already dropped all the cheese from the bowl on her fettuccine alfredo.

“Ops,” she looked up at her father, her eyes wide and one hand covering her mouth.

 _“I’m sorry, Liam, but she didn’t tell me the details,”_ his mother-in-law replied shortly. _“She called me this morning and asked me to come as soon as possible so I did,”_ she explained. _“Look, whatever is going on, I’m sure she’s going to tell you. My guess here is that it’s something company related because she left in a hurry saying it was important,”_

“Tell Fallon to call me as soon as she gets home, please,” Liam requested.

 _“I will,”_ Alexis replied.

“Thank you. Bye,” he added before hitting the red button to end the call.

“Is everything okay, dad?” Charlotte asked while taking her fork up to her mouth.

“Yes, Charlie,” Liam could only nod. “Your mom left in a hurry this morning and I haven’t been able to talk to her yet. I’m sure it’s just something at Fallon Unlimited that she had to take care of herself though,”

“Grandma is watching Ollie, right?”

“She is,”

“Then I’m sure everything will be okay, dad,” Charlotte offered him a smile. “Can we order more shrimp?”

“You still have half of your fettuccine left, princess,” Liam countered.

“But I’ve eaten all the shrimp that came with it already! It’s a boring dish now,” she shrugged. “Why do they only put four shrimps on such a huge amount of pasta? Well, I don’t know,” she rolled her eyes.

“Excuse me,” he raised his hand to call for the waiter. “Would it be possible for her to have more shrimp?” He asked politely. “I know they’re not really on the menu as a side but,”

“Of course, of course,” the man spoke right away. “I will order some extra shrimps for the pretty girl,”

“Thank you very much,” Charlotte smiled brightly. “Do you have lobster too, by any chance?”

“Just the shrimp, please,” Liam told the waiter. “They’re out of lobster tonight, princess,” he turned back towards his daughter.

“How can a five stars restaurant be out of lobster, daddy? They’re going to make some customers _very_ angry,” she replied, reaching for her glass so she could take a sip of orange juice.

“ _Other_ customers can have it,” he countered. “ _You_ , on the other hand, are sticking to your pasta, the extra shrimp and the mountain of cheese you put on your plate,”

“And the profiteroles with ice cream and chocolate sauce that you said I could have for dessert, right?” Charlotte added.

“Only if there’s a not a tiny piece of food left on your plate,” he told her.

“Well, I might get back to it then,” reaching for the fork and spoon, she rolled some fettuccine around the fork with the help of the spoon then took it to her mouth. “Mhmm, this is delicious!” She murmured while chewing.

“This photo of you is adorable,” Liam turned the screen towards her, showing her the photo he had taken of her jumping into a water puddle on their way to the restaurant. Charlotte was wearing a yellow raincoat and brand new Hunter rain boots that Fallon had gotten her specifically for her trip and matched perfectly with her favorite raincoat. “I’m going to send it to your mom, telling her you were testing to see if the rain boots really worked,” he laughed.

“Well, they’re new... I didn’t know for _sure_ whether they were really going to keep the water away from my feet,” Charlotte replied with a shrug.

* * *

“Fallon, finally!” Liam raised his iPhone to his ear as soon as her name appeared on his screen.

 _“Hi, babe,”_ Fallon spoke softly. _“I’m sorry I’ve been kind of ignoring you,”_

“May I ask why?” He wasn’t angry, he was simply upset that she had been avoiding him all day, letting him wonder if something wasn’t right back in Atlanta.

 _“I spent the entire night awake, babe, throwing up and feeling like shit,”_ she started. _“At first I thought it was just a stomach bug but I just couldn’t stop thinking about the other possibility, Liam,”_

“Fallon, what the hell are you saying?” Liam ran a hand through his hair nervously.

Charlotte was still staring at the fossils of the large dinosaur right at the entrance of the museum, but there was so much noise and kids running everywhere that Liam couldn’t help but feeling like his head was minutes away from exploding.

 _“I didn’t want to call you before I was certain, Liam. That’s why I’ve been ignoring all your calls,”_ Fallon admitted. _“I went to the drugstore and got all the tests I could find, different brands and everything, just to be sure... I got one positive but the other five were all negative,”_

“Charlie, princess, come here with daddy, please,” he offered his hand out for Charlotte, lacing his fingers in hers before guiding her towards a quieter part of the museum.

“Aren’t we going to see the museum anymore?” She asked with a frown.

“We are, baby. I just need to talk to your mom first, okay?” Liam requested.

 _“Liam, your focus should be on Charlotte right now,”_ Fallon spoke up. _“Go check that museum with her, we can talk later,”_

“No,” he shook his head. “We’re going to talk now. Are you, Fallon?” He asked, covering his mouth with his hand so he could talk without Charlotte listening, for once glad that she liked to wander around in places like that. “Are you pregnant, Fallon?” He added only a second before Charlotte plopped down on the large wooden bench he was currently sitting on.

 _“I don’t know, Liam, that’s the thing,”_ she confessed. _“I asked Alexis to watch Olivia so I could head down to the hospital to get answers,”_ she told him. _“I called Addison and she requested a few other exams besides the usual blood test so we can be one hundred percent certain of it,”_

“You still don’t have the results?” Liam looked up for a moment, staring at the ceiling as his brain tried to process everything his wife was telling him.

 _“My period was a mess because of that miscarriage I suffered at the beginning of last year, which is why you managed to knock me up only nine months after I recovered from that accident,”_ Fallon continued.

“Well, we _were_ trying, Fal,” he told her.

 _“I know we we’re trying but it actually happened sooner than we thought it would, babe. I’ve been off the pill for almost two years, Liam, and you know damn well what kind of sex we have,”_ she murmured. _“I wanted to call you, believe me, but I didn’t want to worry you... I really don’t want to ruin your day with Charlie,”_

“Can I talk to mom?” The five years old asked.

“Not now, princess,” he replied instantly.

“Can I go to the visitor’s shop?”

“Not by yourself,”

“What about the bathroom? I feel like that latte is starting to make itself noticed,” Charlotte continued.

“This is why a little girl your size shouldn’t have a venti drink,” Liam rolled his eyes. “Princess, please, I need five minutes with mom,” he requested. “Please?”

“Yeah, okay,” she nodded. “That sounds important. I can wait, daddy,”

“Fallon, you should have called me the minute that thought crossed your mind,” he told his wife. “You’re probably freaking out and you were trying to keep it all to yourself,”

 _“Olivia is eleven weeks old, Liam! She’s not even three months old yet,”_ Fallon’s tone suddenly changed and he could swear she was on the verge of tears. _“I know it’s totally our fault, that we should have known better and that we should definitely have been more careful,”_ she rambled, _“specially since my cycle has been a mess ever since that accident but I can’t be pregnant, Liam,”_ she paused. _“I just can’t,”_

“Did they at least tell you when you’re getting the results?” He questioned.

 _“By the end of the day,”_ she responded. _“Doctor Montgomery told me to do an urine test as well as the blood test and they’re sending both results together,”_ she explained. _“It will probably take a couple more hours,”_

“Are you late? Is that why a pregnancy crossed your mind?”

 _“I still haven’t gotten my period yet, babe, but that doesn’t exactly mean I’m late. It can take months for a woman to get her first period after giving birth...”_ Fallon explained. _“It might take even longer when the woman breastfeeds regularly,”_ she added. _“Charlotte was six months old when I got my first period after giving birth to her, babe. I know it’s normal to not have it just yet but the nausea and the way I’m so tired kind of made me wonder,”_

“Look, Fallon, whatever those tests say, we can work it out,” Liam began. “We panicked when we found out about Charlotte but look at all that we have now,”

 _“Olivia is two months old, Liam!”_ Fallon reminded him, raising her voice as she paced around the master bedroom, a hand running nervously through her hair as she swallowed the tears. _“I have to focus on_ her _at this point, not on carrying another child...”_ She spoke desperately. _“I think we screwed up, babe._ Big _, this time,_ really _big,”_

“Fal, don’t cry,” his tone was so soft they could only wish they weren’t almost a thousand miles apart. All they wanted at that moment was to wrap their arms around each other. “Please don’t cry, babe,”

“Why is mommy crying, dad?” Charlotte asked in panic. “What happened to my mom? Oh my god, is Ollie okay?” Her eyes widened.

 _“We just had our second child, Liam. It took us_ four _years to know for_ sure _that we didn’t want Charlotte to be an only child,”_ Fallon continued. _“How are we supposed to know if we want_ three _?”_

“Fallon, I’m this close to getting on the first flight back to Atlanta,” Liam interrupted her. “I know Marshall flew the jet back but we can go back right now,”

“Go back?!” Charlotte turned towards him as soon as the words left his mouth, her eyes immediately filling with tears as she looked at him totally devastated.

 _“No, Liam._ No _,_ _”_ she spoke seriously. _“We’re not ruining this amazing time you and Charlotte are having because of how stupid and reckless we are,”_ she told him. _“I’m going to wait for these results and you and Charlie can enjoy that museum you’re at right now. I’m freaking out but I will live,”_ she admitted. _“Hopefully they will come back negative and this will be nothing but a freaking scare but I will call you as soon as I get them, alright?”_ She promised.

“Just keep me updated, Fal,”

 _“This is exactly why I didn’t want to call you before I knew the results, Liam,”_ Fallon sighed. _“Now you’re going to worry about this all day,”_

“I understand why you didn’t tell me but to be honest, I was even more worried when I couldn’t reach you,” Liam spoke. “Is my head spinning right now? Is my heart a thousand times faster? Am I panicking? Yes, all of those, but whatever those tests say...” He paused to take a deep breath. “Whatever those tests say, we will find a way to make it work,”

 _“Thank god I have you to keep me on my feet when I start freaking out,”_ she chuckled. _“Now please, go give our daughter some attention and try to enjoy the rest of your day as much as possible,”_

“Okay,” he nodded. “Alexis is still there, right?”

_“Yeah. I asked her to stay in case I need help with Olivia,”_

“Try to relax, Fal. There’s nothing you can do now...”

 _“I might try to get some sleep since I don’t even remember the last time I closed my eyes,”_ Fallon groaned. _“Thank you for this, babe. I didn’t want to worry you but I’m kind of glad we talked about this mess,”_

“Everything will be okay, Fal. I promise,” he reassured her. “Go get some sleep. I love you,”

 _“I love you too,”_ she replied softly before ending the call.

“Come on, princess,” Liam turned his head towards Charlotte as he stood up from the bench. “Let’s go,” he offered her his hand.

“Can we go to the restroom now?” Charlotte asked, locking her small fingers in his.

“Yes,” he simply nodded.

“Is everything okay back home, daddy?” She looked up at him.

“Yes, baby. Mom is just having a bad day, that’s all,” Liam murmured, trying to give her as little detail as possible about the talk he had just had with Fallon. “She didn’t sleep that well last night so she’s probably just tired,” he explained.

“I want to give her a call later,” the five years old mentioned while they walked towards the restrooms. “Maybe we can watch a movie together and I will be able to cheer her up,”

“That sounds like a great idea, princess,” he offered her a smile.

“Do we need to go back to Atlanta, daddy?”

“No, Charlie,” Liam shook his head. “Mom said everything is fine even though she’s feeling a bit off today. We’re flying back home on Thursday morning anyway,”

“I can’t believe our trip is almost over,” she spoke sadly. “We only have today and tomorrow to enjoy New York before we have to go back,” she pouted.

The first exhibit they visited once they left the restroom was the Hall of African Mammals and Charlotte was immediately amazed by the family of elephants right in the center of the room.

“They are so big!” She exclaimed while walking around them. “I love elephants,”

“I like them too, they’re so pretty,” Liam commented.

“All of these animals are cool,” Charlotte mentioned, walking towards one of the glasses. “Can you take pictures, daddy?”

“Of course,” he nodded. “Of you and the animals?”

“Yes, let me turn around!” She turned back towards the glass and stared at the animals for about a minute so Liam could take the photo. “How is it?”

“I like it,” Liam showed her the photo. “Don’t you want to read the cards?” He asked. “They usually have information about the animals displayed,” he told her.

“Not really,” Charlotte shook her head. “Wow, look at this lion!” Her eyes widened, changing to the next set of animals less than a minute later. “Can you imagine meeting lions like this in real life?” She asked her father. “They’re probably very scary,”

“They are! They usually rule everything and everyone,” he explained. “You can’t mess with a lion because you really don’t want to see them mad... their roar is very scary,”

“Have you ever seen a lion, daddy?” She questioned. “Like a real one? Up close like this?” She pointed to the animal on the other side of the glass.

“I did once,” Liam answered. “At a safari in South Africa,” he added. “The animals are all free and you take a jeep so you can see them but they do whatever they want so you may not even see them all,”

“But you saw the lion?”

“We did, yeah,” he nodded. “We were actually wondering where all the animals were since we hadn’t seen anything in almost half an hour and that’s when we spot a lion and a lioness approaching our jeep,”

“Oh my god!” Charlotte exclaimed, her eyes sparkling in excitement at his story.

“The tour guide reassured us they wouldn’t do anything bad or harm us but Ashley was so scared that she,”

“Ashley?!” Her jaw fell to the floor after interrupting him. “Okay, you just ruined your own story, daddy,” she rolled her eyes then started walking away from the lions. “It had so much potential,” she murmured, shaking her head while she walked out of the room. “This map says they have llamas here, let’s go see them!”

“Hey, come back here! I wasn’t done with my story, young lady,” Liam informed, speeding up his pace so he could follow her.

“You lost me when you brought up poptart Ashley, daddy,” Charlotte shrugged.

“It’s an interesting story!” He countered. “Don’t you want to hear about when the lion got so close to the jeep his mane even touched my leg?” He questioned.

“I would,” she stopped walking and turned around, “but I believe you were just about to tell how the girl who shall not be named jumped on you because she was scared of the lion,” she placed one hand on her hip then looked up at him with a frown.

“What did your mother tell you about Ashley anyway?” Liam asked.

“Not much,” Charlotte mentioned. “Just that she was the only girl that ever stood a chance with you besides mommy...” She told him. “And that she had her friend steal mommy’s coat and handbag at a bar, which wasn’t very nice of her,”

“She might have meant something to me at some point but that was only before I met your mother, princess,” he took a step towards her and placed one hand on her shoulder so they could head to the llama’s exhibit. “I knew I was all in the moment I realized I had fallen in love with mommy,”

“Then why were you so mean in Idaho?”

“I feel like I should have an important talk with your mom about the things she’s been telling you,” Liam murmured.

“I’m her best friend, daddy,” Charlotte rolled her eyes, as if it was obvious. “You shouldn’t be surprised that mommy shares her deepest secrets with me,”

“What else did she tell you, Charlotte?”

“It wouldn’t be a secret if I could tell you, dad,” she shrugged. “Oh, llamas!” She exclaimed before running towards the large white llama that was standing tall a few feet from them.

* * *

_“Hi,”_ Fallon smiled as soon as he accepted the facetime call and his face filled her screen.

“Hey,” Liam replied softly, lying on the couch in his bathrobe while he sipped on his whiskey.

 _“I know you’re worried but isn’t that a bit extreme?”_ She asked, pointing at the glass in his hand.

“Guess I needed the alcohol tonight,” he couldn’t help but chuckle. “I was actually expecting you to call sooner so I might have gotten a little nervous,” he admitted.

 _“Well, who am I to judge you about a glass of whiskey anyway?”_ Fallon rolled her eyes. _“I would definitely be halfway through the bottle by now weren’t I breastfeeding,”_

“I’m glad you’re still breastfeeding then because you know how much I hate when you turn to alcohol when you’re upset,”

 _“Where’s Charlie, by the way?”_ She asked.

“In the bathtub,” Liam told her. “I was in there with her because she wanted a massage and special hair treatment tonight,” he laughed. “I told her I was going to try calling you but she said she needed to relax some more,”

Standing up, he walked towards the ensuite and pushed the door open slightly, enough for Fallon to listen what was happening in there. The five years old didn’t even notice her father since her eyes were closed and she had her back to the door. She had rolled one of the face towels and placed it carefully on the edge of the tub so she could rest the back of her neck against it.

 _“Tale as old as time... song as old as rhyme,”_ Charlotte sang in a low tone. _“Beauty and the beast,”_ she continued.

“You have to see this, babe,” Liam whispered as he stepped into the bathroom as quiet as a mouse, switching to the back camera so he could record the five years old.

Once the song was over, she leaned forward and reached for the faucet so she could turn on the hot water again. The bubbles were almost all gone so she grabbed the bottle of liquid soap the hotel replaced every morning and squeezed it all inside the bathtub. As the fresh water from the faucet hit the soap in the large white tub, new bubbles started to form and suddenly there was a white mountain right in front of her.

“This is what I call having a good life,” Charlotte laid her head back against the towel then reached for the champagne glass she had placed on the small floor cabinet by the bathtub. “Oh my god!” She was just about to take a sip of her chocolate milk when she noticed Liam recording her. “Liam Ridley, I am _naked_!” Fallon burst out laughing when she heard Charlotte’s scream, watching as she tightened her grip around the champagne glass half filled with chocolate Nesquik. “Are you exposing your own daughter on social media?”

“It’s your _mom_ , Charlie,” Liam giggled.

 _“I see someone‘s been learning my bath tricks,”_ Fallon murmured. _“Why are you drinking chocolate milk from a champagne glass?”_ She frowned.

“Because it’s fancy,” she offered her mother a bright smile. “I would like to enjoy my bath now, if that’s okay with the two of you?”

“Of course, princess,” Liam nodded. “I will leave the door just a tiny bit open so you can call me if you need anything, okay?”

“Okay, daddy,” Charlotte replied.

“I swear I don’t even want to know what that girl will be like as a teenager,” he spoke while heading back towards the couch.

 _“It’s a good thing you’re only going to have two teenagers to deal with in your life then,”_ Fallon told him, smirking at the camera as she waited for him to understand what she was implying.

“It’s negative?!” Liam exclaimed in a mix of happiness and relief. “Oh god,” he ran a hand through his hair before reaching for the whiskey he had set down on the coffee table. “Oh god,” he repeated.

 _“It’s negative,”_ she nodded. _“All of them,”_

“I don’t want to sound insensitive or anything but this is probably the best news I’ve gotten in a long time,” he murmured, finishing his whiskey in one gulp before he allowed himself to take a long and deep breath.

 _“I’m just as relieved as you are, babe,”_ Fallon admitted. _“I was giving Olivia a bath when I got the results. Doctor Montgomery called me as soon as she read them and since I didn’t pick up she asked me to call back immediately,”_ she explained, _“which is why I didn’t call you sooner,”_

“That’s okay,” Liam offered her a smile. “What did she say?”

 _“First, that we should totally be more careful since we’re both smart adults,”_ she couldn’t help but laugh.

“I have to admit that’s something very important,” he replied.

 _“She said it’s probably a stomach bug anyway because I’m most definitely not pregnant,”_ Fallon continued. _“She also suggested that I get an IUD... it’s perfectly okay to get one while breastfeeding and it should be good for about ten years,”_ she told him. _“I scheduled an appointment with her next week and I would love if you went with me. I mean,”_ she paused for a moment, _“you should have a say too if we’re going to talk about contraceptive methods,”_

“Of course, babe,” Liam spoke softly. “I’m honestly happy with our baby girl and our spoiled tiny replica of you,”

 _“Yeah, me too,”_ she sighed in agreement. _“I love these two girls with all of my heart and I know we haven’t really been parents of two for that long but I feel like our family is complete, you know?”_

“After we talked this afternoon, I started picturing ourselves with another one, to be honest,” he confessed. “I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the idea of having a third baby, at least not right now, but I was trying to make my peace with the possibility in case the results came back positive,” he told her. “It did cross my mind that perhaps a baby boy would be nice but I feel exactly the same, Fal. I like our family like this and I think having two kids is ideal for us,”

 _“I’m pretty sure I would be a terrible boy mom,”_ Fallon laughed. _“It was one hell of a scare but we’re going to take care of ourselves properly now so we don’t ever have to go through this again,”_ she shook her head. _“This is why I hate being off the pill,”_

“How are you feeling now?” Liam asked. “Are you still throwing up?”

 _“No, thank god,”_ she responded. _“I was so anxious and nervous... it didn’t help at all but once we talked and I got a couple of hours of sleep, I started feeling better,”_ she explained. _“Alexis’ been helping me out a lot and she’s spending the night here in case I need anything,”_

“Oh, I’m glad you’re feeling better and that she’s staying there tonight with you two,” he mentioned. “I will sleep better knowing Alexis is there. Is Olivia asleep already?”

_“Yeah,”_

“I heard you and Charlie are having movie night tonight,” Liam added.

 _“She texted me a couple of hours ago saying we needed to watch a movie together so I wouldn’t be sad anymore,”_ Fallon chuckled. _“I told her it was a great idea as long as we’re not watching Frozen,”_

“What did Miss Charlie have to say about that?” He asked.

 _“She said it was a shame but that she had already thought of other options in case I rejected the amazing Frozen,”_ she rolled her eyes playfully, using some of the words her daughter had used herself.

“Let me guess... Tangled, Peter Pan and Beauty and the Beast,” he listed. “I would say Inside Out too but even Charlie understands that’s a sad and devastating movie,”

 _“It’s honestly one of my favorites from Disney but definitely not one I would watch tonight,”_ Fallon admitted. _“I chose Tangled though,”_ she informed him. _“You’re welcome to join us if you want,”_

“Yeah, that sounds nice,” Liam replied. “I also might need to check on that little one,” he pushed himself off the couch, “before she melts inside that bathtub,”

 _“I miss you so much,”_ she murmured.

“I miss you too, Fal. We will be there soon,” he smiled softly. “I will help Charlotte get ready for bed and then we will call you again, okay?”

 _“Sure,”_ Fallon nodded. _“I will check on Olivia and see what Alexis is up to. I love you, babe,”_

“I love you, Fal, more than anything,” he smirked, throwing her a teasing wink before hanging up.

**WEDNESDAY**

“I swear I will never understand this girl,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh when Charlotte turned towards the couple a few feet from where they were standing.

The couple had just walked of one of the buildings and had been arguing quite loudly about their plans for that night as they walked towards their car. They were just stepping out of Starbucks when Charlotte glanced at them, sipping on her Grande Caramel Frappuccino while holding her half eaten donut in the other hand.

His phone was already in his hand as he was trying to type down a reply to one of the dozen e-mails his agent had sent him overnight, so he quickly switched to Instagram and snapped a story of his daughter.

“What are you doing, daddy?” Charlotte questioned when she noticed the grin on his lips.

“Taking some photos of you,” he replied. “You look adorable today, princess,”

Charlotte was wearing black leggings, her favorite dark blue Hunter boots and a military green coat. Her hair was up in a ponytail since that morning was too cold and she didn’t feel like washing her hair, like she used to do almost every morning during her shower routine.

“I always look adorable,” she smiled brightly.

“Yeah, yes you do,” Liam chuckled. “How is that drink?”

“Incredible,” Charlotte replied before taking the green straw between her lips again.

“Come here, princess,” he requested. “You have chocolate all over your face,” he giggled, running the napkin carefully over her nose and cheeks so he could clean the dark brown icing off her face.

“Thanks, daddy,” she offered him a smile.

“Are you sure you want to spend our last day here strolling down Fifth Avenue, Charlie?” He asked.

“We’ve bought Ollie plenty of toys, clothes and souvenirs from all over the city, daddy,” Charlotte began. “We need to find mommy a gift now because I’m sure she took very good care of Ollie and Daisy while we were having fun,” she told him. “I also need a brand new outfit for tonight!”

“Princess, your mother packed plenty of stuff for you,” he tried, even though he knew the chances of winning that argument was close to zero.

“Daddy, you got us tickets to Frozen!” She exclaimed. “The best movie ever made! On Broadway!” She added dramatically. “I can’t wear old clothes… this is a milestone! I need the best outfit I can find,”

“Remind me to tell your mom that she needs to bring you to the New York Fashion Week someday…” Liam murmured, rolling his eyes. “While one tries to walk the Brooklyn Bridge on heels the other wants to go to a Broadway show dressed for a gala. I’m sure you two would get to know an entire different city,”

“That would be very nice, dad,” Charlotte nodded. “All we can do is hope that Ollie will finally be the one to get to the other end of the bridge with you on her own feet,”

“Yeah, your sister is definitely my last and only hope,” he giggled.

“By the way, can you get us tickets for the Met Gala too?” She questioned. “It might be too late to get tickets for next year but who knows… perhaps the next one?”

“I thought you’d already put me in charge of Super Bowl tickets?” He frowned. “I’m not really familiar with the Met Gala, princess,”

“The Super Bowl happens in February but the Met Gala happens in May, daddy,” Charlotte told him. “The first Monday of May, to be exact,” she added, “which means that going to the Super Bowl doesn’t mean I can’t go to the Met Gala as well,”

“Maybe you should ask your mom about that gala,” Liam shrugged.

“I will,” the five years old replied. “I still need an outfit for Broadway though,”

“Alright, Miss Ridley, but you’re paying for it,” he informed her.

 _“Me?”_ Her eyes widened. “I’m only five,” she pouted, “as my daddy, you should buy me clothes so I’m not cold and can walk among people,”

“I buy you all the necessary clothes, Charlotte. Even some that you don’t even need just to fulfill the dreams of that fashionista that lives inside your heart,” Liam countered. “You have enough clothes in your suitcase for tonight’s show… if you really want a _new_ outfit, you’re going to have to pay for it yourself,” his tone was firm and serious. “You could use the money you got from your grandmother since you’ve already spent everything mom gave you,”

“Yeah, I might have…” Charlotte murmured while staring down at her boots. “Well, that’s okay, at least I will look pretty,”

* * *

“We’re going to take the black one and the clay one,” Charlotte told the saleswoman while Liam was busy on his phone.

“Both this size?” She asked the five years old.

“What?” Liam looked up from the screen, confused and surprised with what he had just heard. “I’m sorry,” he offered the woman a smile. “We’re only taking one,”

“One from me and the other one from you, daddy,” Charlotte explained, gesturing between the two Prada Double Tote’s. “Mommy deserves it,”

“Are you paying for the one you’re giving her?” Liam questioned. “Because I believe you’ve already spent quite a lot of your money at Saks Fifth Avenue only one hour ago,” he whispered, pulling her closer to him so they wouldn’t have that kind of conversation in front of Julia, the saleswoman.

“How much is it?” She turned towards Julia.

“$3,150 before taxes,”

“Holy guacamole,” Charlotte exclaimed. “Grandma didn’t even give me that much, daddy,” she murmured. “Can’t you just pay for them?”

“I will pay for _one_ ,” Liam told her. “Which one do you like the most?” He asked.

“The black one but they look better with different outfits,” she groaned. “Some colors match better with light colored bags,”

“Your mother already has plenty of handbags, Charlotte,” he continued. “I’m sure she will love this gift but there’s absolutely no need to buy two bags when they look exactly the same,”

“Mommy deserves the best gift ever, dad,”

“Charlie, last month you gave mom a crayon drawing of yourself with pasta hair and she not only framed it but she put it on her desk at Fallon Unlimited,” Liam reminded her. “She may be fancy and everything but you don’t have to spend a ton of money on a gift for her… she will love anything you give her,”

“I guess we can take the black one then,” Charlotte murmured. “The lady said we can write her monogram inside the tag for an extra amount. Can we do that?”

“You think mom will like that?”

“Why?” The five years old frowned. “You think she won’t? You _just_ told me she will love anything I give her,” she countered.

“I’m asking _you_ what you want to do, princess,” Liam rolled his eyes playfully. “It’s your gift,”

“I like the monogram,” Charlotte informed him.

“Then tell Julia which bag we’re going to buy and ask for the monogram,” he instructed her.

“Okay, okay,” she spoke while heading back towards the saleswoman. “We will only take the black one today, unfortunately, but I would like to add the monogram to its tag, please,” she requested politely. “What color is it?”

“Gold, matching the metal lettering logo on the triangle,” Julia replied.

“Perfect,”

“What are the letters, dear?”

“FCR,” Charlotte told her.

“It might take a few minutes, alright? Would you like another water?”

“That would be nice, thank you,” she offered the saleswoman a smile before approaching her father. “What is so interesting in that phone of yours?” She leaned over him to check what he was doing.

“My agent decided to drive me crazy today,” Liam complained. “I’m sorry I couldn’t exactly help you decide on a bag but I’m trying to reply to as many e-mails as I can before she schedules a hundred meetings for me to attend,” he explained, running a hand softly through her hair as she climbed on his lap and snuggled against his chest.

“Tell her you’re not available,” Charlotte murmured.

“I have to agree to at least some of them, princess. I just don’t want her to schedule five meetings on the same day,” he explained. “If I don’t say anything she will just keep me occupied from eight to eight non stop and I don’t even have the chance to stay with the three of you,”

“We understand that comes with the job, daddy,” she told him. “Just like sometimes you need to travel,”

“I know, baby,” Liam turned towards her with a smile, “and I appreciate that a lot,” he placed a kiss on her forehead. “I don’t want to accept a book deal that will take too much of my time, at least not right now… I want to enjoy Olivia to the fullest during her first year, like I did with you,”

“So mom can go back to work?” Charlotte asked.

“Not necessarily,” he shook his head. “I just want to be home to enjoy you two. I’m thankful that we have enough money that I don’t even need to work if I don’t want to. I do it because I love doing it but there’s nothing I that I love more than watching you grow up, princess,” he spoke softly. “Now that I have Liv too, I want to be able to watch you two grow up… as much as I can,”

“I love when you stay home with me,” she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her so she could give him a loud smack on the cheek.

“Excuse me,” Julia returned with the personalized handbag. “The bag is ready,”

“Come on, princess, let’s go pay for this bag,” Liam set Charlotte back on her feet then pushed his phone into one of the front pockets of his pants.

“This is a gift, right?” She glanced at the five years old.

“Yes. Do you have a big bow?”

“I do,” she chuckled.

“Credit card?” The cashier asked.

“Yes,” Liam reached for his wallet, quickly pulling out his American Express Centurion Card.

“One day I will have one credit card like that,” Charlotte whispered to herself as she watched Liam hand the black card to the cashier and he couldn’t help but laugh at his daughter’s loud thoughts.

“You want to carry it?” Julia held the shopping bag out for her.

“Yes,” she nodded. “Thank you!” She waved them goodbye before walking out of the store.

“Where to now, princess?” Liam asked once they got to the sidewalk. “I can see on your face that you’re tired so why don’t we head back to the hotel?” He suggested. “We walked a lot through the past couple of days and we visited a lot of cool places but your sleeping schedule was a bit messy... don’t you want to take a nap before the play?”

“I think so,” Charlotte managed to speak before a yawn escaped her lips. “Can we have ice cream on our way to the hotel?”

“We can,” Liam nodded while placing a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t you want me to carry that bag?”

“I can handle it, daddy,” she reassured him. “Thanks for the offer though,”

“Okay, so tomorrow we’re back home and you’re going back to your usual eating routine,” he explained while holding the door to the ice cream shop open for her. “Which means no ice cream or anything sweet in the middle of the afternoon, princess, so choose wisely what you’re having right now,”

“I think I will have one scoop of strawberry, dad,”

“One scoop?” Liam frowned. “Are you okay?”

“I’m too sleepy to eat more than one, to be honest,” she replied between yawns.

“Bowl or cone?” He asked her.

“Cone,”

“I would like a cone with one scoop of strawberry and a bowl with one scoop of dark chocolate, please,” he turned towards the cashier before handing out a twenty-dollar bill. “Thank you,” he accepted the change and in less than a minute their ice cream was ready.

“We have to be careful not to let ice cream fall on our shopping bags, daddy,” Charlotte informed him as they walked towards one of the tables.

“Of course, baby,” Liam offered her a smile.

Once they were sitting down, Liam pushed their shopping bags under the table so they would be away from any possible ice cream and reached for his iPhone.

“Is she still e-mailing you, daddy?”

“Yeah, she’s sending me some proposals and files but I’m not going to read them now,” he told her. “I will have plenty of time for that during our flight tomorrow morning... it’s our last day of vacation and I want to enjoy you and New York as much as I can,”

“I’m _way_ more important than her anyway,” Charlotte rolled her eyes playfully.

“You are,” he couldn’t help but laugh.

As much as Liam missed his wife and baby daughter back in Atlanta, he had such an incredible time with Charlotte in New York that he was most certainly upset to be flying back home the following morning. The past six days with his little girl had been nothing but magical. Although he had been a tough and strict parent at times, he and Charlotte had had the time of their lives while sightseeing through New York.

Without her noticing, he opened the camera on his phone and started to take a few secret photos of her while she licked her ice cream and stared at the people walking on the street outside the shop. He most likely had over a thousand photos of Charlotte on his phone, just from the few days they spent in the Big Apple but for some reason, as the sadness from having to go back home took over him, he wanted to save even those tiny memories of them having ice cream together forever.

* * *

“How do I look?” The five years old asked as soon as Liam stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair wet and his skin reddish due to the hot water.

Charlotte wore her brand new long sleeved black dress, black socks that she had pulled all the way up to her knees and the cream colored boots she had also bought at Saks Fifth Avenue earlier that afternoon. She had already blow dried her hair like Fallon had taught her and in order to add the final touch to her outfit, she had chosen a black beret.

“Like a princess,” Liam offered her a smile, taking a couple of steps forward so he could fix the beret that was slightly falling off to the right. “I’m sure you’re going to be the prettiest girl in that theater,” he mentioned while running his fingers softly down her hair.

“Thank you,” Charlotte smiled back at him. “I took the liberty of picking an outfit for you,” she pointed to the clothes she had laid out carefully on the bed only a couple of minutes back.

“Oh, you did?” He asked, shaking his head and giggling at his daughter.

“I didn’t know what color of shoes you were in the mood for so I got both belts out of your suitcase just to be sure,” she informed him.

“I think brown looks better with the outfit you chose... what do you think?”

“Yeah, I like the brown one,” Charlotte nodded. “Which one do you prefer, daddy?” She approached him so she could show him the two lipsticks she was holding. “This is light pink with glitter,” she raised her left hand, “and this one is also light pink but it’s a matte lipstick,” she added while raising her right hand.

“The one with glitter,” Liam replied, dressing in his black boxers before throwing the towel over one of the chairs so he could hang it in the bathroom later.

“Okay,” she closed both lipsticks before placing them back on the table. “I’m going to brush my teeth while you get dressed,”

As Charlotte headed into the bathroom, Liam dressed in the dark blue jeans and white dress shirt that she had chosen for him. Even when it came to his clothes, his five years old daughter managed to have the exact same taste as her mother and he couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought.

Liam had already zipped up his jeans and buckled his belt when Charlotte returned to the large bedroom. He was working on the buttons of his dress shirt when he noticed her climbing on one of the chairs.

“Come here, let me finish that for you,” Charlotte requested, standing up on the chair so she could meet his height. “Like mommy does when you’re going out on a date,”

“Like mommy does?” He rolled his eyes, taking a few steps towards her.

“Yes,” she nodded. “Tonight _we_ are going out on a date so let me help you,” reaching for his shirt, she carefully worked on the three buttons he hadn’t had a chance to close yet.

“Since we’re going out on a date...” Liam started. “Is there anything I should know? Perhaps the time of your curfew? Or an angry dad?” He questioned nonchalantly.

“No curfew because tonight is special,” She told him. “Daddy is not angry but he’s usually jealous and very overprotective so you’ve been warned,” she threw him a playful wink.

“I will keep that in mind,” he chuckled softly before kissing her on the forehead. “Now,” he added, settling his hands on each side of her body so he could place her back on the floor, “what do you say we take a few pictures?” He suggested.

“Yes!” Charlotte screamed in excitement. “Here, you start by taking some of me and then I will take some of you,” she spoke while handing him his iPhone. “We need to capture this moment before my first date and my first Broadway play,”

“Okay, I’m capturing the moment,” He laughed, hitting the small white button on the bottom of his screen as Charlotte danced around, swirling with her arms wide open as her loud laugh filled their room.

Liam couldn’t wait to have all three girls back in his arms again but if there was one thing he was certain of, it was that he was completely in love with the five years old. As he watched her move around posing for all kinds of photos, her eyes sparkling and her lips forming the brightest smile he had ever seen, Liam couldn’t be happier that he had been able to enjoy his daughter for six whole days during one of the best vacations they had ever had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it!!!! This took me a while but I really liked how it turned out so let me know your thoughts!!!


	27. Without You

“Daddy!” Olivia pushed herself up on her feet and ran towards her father as soon as Liam stepped into the living room.

“Hi pumpkin!” Liam opened his arms and spun around with her when the two and a half years old jumped against his chest. “How are you?”

“Miss you, daddy,” she rested her head on his neck while snuggling closer to him.

“I miss you too, baby girl,” he placed a soft kiss on the top of her head, running his fingers softly through her dirty blonde strands.

While Olivia had been born with incredibly light hair, it started darkening through her first year but after her second birthday it appeared that it had settled somewhere between a dark blonde and a very light brown, just like her father’s. Not to mention how thinner and straighter it was compared to Fallon’s or Charlotte’s.

“Hey, you’re here,” Fallon offered him a shy smile as she returned from the kitchen with a bowl of pineapple in one hand and a green dinosaur spoon in the other. For a couple of minutes, they could only stare at each other while standing in the middle of the living room, none of them really sure of what to do or say. Fallon couldn’t even remember the last time he had greeted her with a kiss. “I was just about to sit with Liv for her afternoon snack but since you’re here...” she spoke when the awkwardness between them became too unbearable.

“Yeah, of course,” Liam nodded, quickly turning his attention to his youngest daughter. “Do you want daddy to give it to you, pumpkin?” He bounced her in his arms before reaching for the plastic bowl. “Where’s Charlotte, by the way?” He asked. “Still not back from school yet?”

“She _pwotesting_ ,” Olivia told him.

“She’s what?” Liam turned towards Fallon with a confused look. “What’s that supposed to mean?” He sat down on the couch then settled Olivia on one of his legs. As soon as he reached for the spoon, however, the two year old turned away from him, burying her face against his chest.

“No food,” she groaned, shaking her head.

“Charlotte got home from school half an hour ago and stole a bag of potato chips from the kitchen before locking herself in her room,” Fallon told him, “she said she’s not coming out unless you come back home,”

“Doesn’t she have school on Monday?”

“Spring break...” she rolled her eyes.

“Did you try talking to her?”

“I told her you were coming today and that you were taking her and Olivia to spend the weekend with you...” Fallon answered. “She asked me to tell you that she has to study and that she doesn’t want to be bothered but I’m welcome to leave her at least three meals a day at her door,” she shrugged. “I figured instead of getting angry I could just wait for you so we would deal with her together...”

“Did she say anything about us... or maybe about staying with me this weekend specifically?” Liam asked softly.

“She said she doesn’t agree with this arrangement and that we should have consulted her about it before we decided on anything,” Fallon shrugged, “but I guess we could have expected her to say something like that,” she let out a small laugh at the irony of it.

“Are _you_ okay, Fallon?” He looked up from the two year old on his legs. “I get that she’s hurt because I moved out but you and Charlotte share a special bond that I don’t think I will ever really understand. Is she suffering and acting out like this because her parents are currently living apart or because she’s watching her mother suffer?”

“What kind of question is that, Liam?” Fallon countered. “Of course I’m not okay but I’m trying to be as strong as I can,” Fallon told him, “at least when I’m around them,”

“Okay, that was a stupid question, I admit,” Liam rolled his eyes.

“Oh, you don’t say,” she groaned.

“I’m just trying to understand what’s happening to our daughter, Fallon,” Liam continued. “She’s sassy and she always has something to say but she’s never rude and impolite to us. She’s clearly upset but she’s acting out in a way we’ve never seen before, Fallon. If there’s one thing we agree on is that we would never put them in the position of picking sides but we know Charlotte way too well to know that she sees me as the bad guy who hurt mommy and then moved out,” he ran his hand through Olivia’s hair as he tried, unsuccessfully, to feed her some of the pineapple. “Do you mind if I try talking to her?” He suggested. “I understand you were waiting for me so we could talk to her together but is it okay if I try talking to her by myself first?”

“Of course it’s okay, Liam,” Fallon replied, “she’s your daughter too... just because you’re not living here at the moment, it doesn’t mean you don’t have a say on how we talk to her,” she explained. “No matter what, we’re raising them together... I hate when you ask me for permission to do something with them because it feels like I’m taking them away from you,” she admitted while pacing around the living room.

“No, Fallon, that’s not it,” Liam replied right away, placing the bowl of untouched fruit on the coffee table before sitting Olivia on the couch. “They have a routine here and I don’t want to mess it up, that’s all,” standing up, he approached Fallon and reached for her face.

“They have a routine because _we_ set one up, Liam, _together_ ,” Fallon countered. “If there’s one thing we’ve always agreed on is how we want to raise them and that’s not going to change,” she closed her eyes as Liam traced soft patterns on her cheek with his thumb. “You’re their _dad_ , Liam,” she murmured, “and our relationship status will never change that. Whether we’re together or not, you will _always_ be their dad and you will always have as much say as I do when it comes to them...”

“I know, I know. I’m sorry,” Liam nodded, removing his hand from her face and letting his arm hang by his side as if he wasn’t allowed to touch her anymore, “but you can’t really blame me for worrying, Fallon,” he glanced at their youngest daughter just in time to catch her sliding down the couch so she could get back on her feet. “I’m worried about them but I’m even more worried about Olivia, to be honest. When was the last time she ate, Fallon?”

“She had a tiny portion of spaghetti for lunch at noon,” Fallon started. “I managed to get her to eat all of the tomato sauce because these two recognize your homemade sauce everywhere but she barely ate any of the pasta,”

“Noon?” Liam exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock as he nervously ran a hand through his hair. “That was four hours ago, Fallon!”

“I wasn’t finished,” she murmured. The tension between them was clearly still there, even though they had been living apart for the past month. “She asked for some hot cocoa two hours ago but she only drank half the bottle, which is why she _really_ needs to eat that pineapple now,” she pointed towards the bowl currently sitting on the coffee table.

“Fallon, I haven’t visited in a couple of days because I wanted to give you some time and space after our last conversation and I appreciate you keeping me posted on everything regarding the girls but did you forget to mention that Olivia keeps rejecting all kinds of food?” Liam asked, his tone a mix of anger and sadness.

“I would _never_ lie to you about Olivia!” Fallon raged. “In fact, I would never lie to you about _any_ of them, Liam! I even texted you a photo of Daisy sleeping on your pillow when Charlotte fell asleep on our bed yesterday afternoon,” she exclaimed. “Olivia’s been eating properly ever since you came over for dinner the other night but apparently we’re back to her not eating today,” she told him. “I was actually planning on sitting with her with this damn fruit until she ate every single piece of it,”

“Oh god,” Liam turned towards his two year old, watching as she walked around the room, moving her teddy bear over the furniture while singing a Disney song.

For a few minutes, all he could do was look between Fallon and Olivia, wondering which problem he should address first. It was clear that both his daughters were having a hard day, just like he knew Fallon was doing her best to take care of it on her own, even though it didn’t really seem to be working. Liam wanted nothing but to wrap his arms around her and pull her into of the tightest hugs he had ever given her but he knew it wasn’t either the right time or place.

“You didn’t go to work today, did you?” Liam asked. Fallon had chosen a great outfit, as always, and she was even wearing one of her favorite high heels in the house but he couldn’t help but notice the bags under her eyes and how her eyeliner and eyeshadow were slightly smudged.

“I knew it would be one of _those_ days when Olivia totally rejected breakfast this morning,” Fallon admitted. “So I dropped Charlotte at school and came back home… I sat in the kitchen with Olivia for two hours for her to eat a few spoons of tomato sauce and about five strands of spaghetti,” she rolled her eyes. “I took her to our bed for her afternoon nap when I realized nothing I did would get her to finish her lunch but, of course, she woke up hungry and asked for the hot cocoa,” she explained, making sure he got all of the details about their baby girl, “which I made, from scratch, using the almond milk and that fancy organic cocoa powder that you love just so it would taste exactly like yours, for her to drink only half of it before giving me the bottle back,”

“This is not _your_ fault, Fallon,” Liam spoke right away. “You’ve been doing great with the girls but some days are harder than others when it comes to Olivia. We’ve known that for almost a year now and I know us living apart doesn’t exactly help the situation but we’re both still trying our best to help her, alright?” His tone was suddenly soft and caring and Fallon had to stare up at the ceiling to fight against the tears that were starting to pool in her eyes.

“We thought living apart for a while would help with all of the fighting and arguing and it _has_ ,” Fallon started. “We’re no longer screaming at each other’s face on a daily basis and I feel like we can finally talk to each other without vases and glasses flying across the room but I’m starting to wonder if living apart is really the best we can do… you can’t imagine how scared I am that the damage might be even worse if we keep this up, Liam,”

“We were arguing over all kind of things, Fallon,” Liam replied. “From really stupid to beyond important stuff about us, about our careers and even about the girls,” he explained. “We tried everything but we kept fighting and the girls don’t deserve to live in a house where their parents are constantly screaming at each other… which is why we agreed to this time apart, right? To see if we can find our way back to each other?”

“Then why do I feel like we’re heading towards a meeting at a lawyer’s office other than you coming back home?” The words were barely a whisper as they left her trembling lips.

“Look, we haven’t decided on anything yet,” Liam took a step forward, closing some of the distance between them. “We haven’t even said the D word yet and Fal, I don’t ever want to say that word to you,” Fallon tried to avoid him as he approached her, turning towards Olivia so he wouldn’t be able to look into her eyes.

“It’s been a month, Liam,” she murmured.

“Are you saying you want me to come home?” He questioned, touching her chin as gently as he could. Much to his surprise, Fallon didn’t even budge when he lifted it so she would finally look at him. There was no longer anger in his voice and all she could hear was the soft yet broken tone as he spoke the words she wasn’t really sure she was ready to hear.

“We’ve barely talked about us or our marriage since you left, Liam,” Fallon mentioned, watching as tears started to appear in the blue eyes she so desperately loved. “Yeah, we had a great talk a couple of days ago but…”

“There’s your answer, Fallon,” Liam responded, cutting her mid sentence when he realized whatever she was going to say was only going to bring more harm to their already messy situation. “Look, why don’t I go talk to Charlotte and you try giving Olivia the pineapple?” He suggested in an attempt of changing the subject.

“Okay, yeah,” she nodded.

“Are their things ready?” He asked.

“I packed a small suitcase for Olivia with clothes and a few toys that she chose,” Fallon told him.

“Play _caws_!” Olivia threw her arms up in the air, jumping up and down as she headed back towards them.

“You want to play with your cars, pumpkin?” Liam sat down on the coffee table so he could look the two year old in the eyes. “Did you pack your pink Mini Cooper?” He asked with a wide smile.

“Yes daddy!” She exclaimed.

“She packed her _whole_ collection of Mini Coopers,” Fallon laughed as Liam picked her up. “She told me none of them could be left behind,” she mentioned while approaching them. She tickled her baby girl’s belly before any of them could say anything else and Olivia quickly turned towards Liam, burying her head on her father’s shoulder as she tried to protect herself from her mother’s hands.

“Bunny _dwiver_ too!” Olivia murmured against his neck.

“The bunny driver is coming _too_?” Liam’s eyes widened in surprise and Olivia could only chuckle at his reaction. “What an honor to spend the weekend with the great bunny driver, the one in charge of all the Mini Coopers in this house...” he smiled, thinking of the stuffed bunny they had made together at Build a Bear months back, “we’re going to have to build a city to play with all those cars then,” Liam giggled at his daughter.

“Yes!” The two year old nodded, “ _vwoom_ _vwoom_!”

“I’m sure daddy will build you the best city, pumpkin,” Fallon placed a kiss on the top of her head. “May I ask where you’re staying this weekend?” She looked at him.

“I asked my mom if I could use her house,” Liam told her. “Taking them to the hotel for a night is one thing but they deserve a proper place to spend the weekend...”

“Laura’s is New York, right?”

“Yes,” Liam nodded, “I can’t say she wasn’t thrilled to hear we’re spending some time apart but she’s not paying us a visit anytime soon,”

“Yeah, well, that’s the least she can do,” Fallon groaned. “The last thing we need right now is that crazy woman bringing more drama into our lives,”

“Pumpkin, why don’t you stay with mommy for a little while so I can talk to your sister?” Liam suggested as he placed Olivia carefully in Fallon’s arms. “Charlotte and I need to have a conversation and you, little miss, need to eat your fruit,”

“No _fwuit_ ,” Olivia shook her head.

“I’m not kidding, Olivia,” Liam’s tone was serious. “I tried giving it to you in a funny and nice way but you rejected it but now you’re just testing my patience,”

“Liam…” Fallon whispered, trying to remind him that being angry was never helpful in that situation, even though they had both already experienced plenty of outbursts while trying to get their baby girl to eat.

“Your mom is going to sit on the couch with you and she’s going to give you that pineapple,” Liam told her. “If there’s still a tiny piece of fruit in that bowl by the time I get back, I’m going to take all those Mini Coopers to the basement and they’re going to stay there for a whole week. Are we clear?”

“Yes…” she murmured.

“I know this is the worst possible way to get her to eat but I really hope it works,” Liam whispered in Fallon’s ear after placing Olivia on the couch.

“You’re worried about her, I get it, Liam, because so am I… but we’re already going through a delicate situation,” Fallon spoke softly. “Our marriage may be falling apart but we agreed we wouldn’t let it affect our relationship with them,”

“I’m sorry, Fallon,” Liam offered her a broken but apologetically smile. “You were talking about how she’s barely eaten all day and while I was watching her play with her teddy bear, it hit me that I bought that t-shirt for her just before Christmas and it was the perfect size,” he explained. “It’s been three months and that stupid t-shirt should not look loose on her, Fallon,” he closed his eyes, realizing the tears were only minutes from falling. “She should have grown, Fallon. Maybe not enough to outgrow a piece of clothing in three months but she should have grown, Fallon!” He ran a hand through his hair.

“She has a doctor’s appointment next week, Liam,” Fallon reminded him. “Yeah, it looks like she hasn’t gained any weight lately but let’s not freak out until the doctor gives us a full report, okay?” She cupped his cheek before looking into his eyes. “Our baby girl is healthy and we’re doing everything we can to help her. We promised each other we wouldn’t let this mess between you and me affect them and we won’t, alright?” She ran her thumb over his skin.

“I’m sorry I snapped,”

“It’s okay. It happens,” Fallon offered him a reassuring smile. “Go talk to Charlie,”

“Be good to mommy, pumpkin,” Liam ran his hand softly through Olivia’s blonde strands before bending over to place a kiss on the top of her head. “Daddy loves you very much, okay? Which is why I want you to eat all your fruit, pumpkin. Can you do that for daddy?”

“Yes, daddy,” Olivia replied without taking her eyes off her teddy bear, but when Liam glanced at Fallon, the smile on her lips was enough to calm him down and reassure him that as complicated as their lives were at that moment, everything was going to be alright at the end. He couldn’t exactly know for _sure_ that it was going to work out but at least he felt hopeful that it would, eventually.

* * *

“Charlie, open up!” Liam knocked on the eight year old’s door. “It’s dad, come on,”

“I’m studying,” Charlotte looked up from her math book and glanced at the door. She was still in her school uniform, lying on her stomach on the bed as she did her homework, “and just like I told mom, I’d appreciate if you didn’t disturb me,” her voice was soft. He knew she wasn’t trying to be rude and that he couldn’t really blame her for being upset at the situation.

“And I’d appreciate if you opened this door,” Liam spoke seriously, “are you going to open or should I get my key?”

“This is _my_ bedroom,” Charlotte exclaimed, “you shouldn’t have a key to it,”

“I’m your _father_ and you’re _eight_ ,” Liam replied, “when you turn eighteen I will give you my key so you can lock yourself in there as much as you want,” he told her, “but right now, you better open this door before I start getting angry,”

“I’m studying,” she repeated, “you should be proud that I’m improving my knowledge and you should let me study in peace,”

“You don’t study on Friday’s,” he sighed.

“I do now,” she replied, “and you would know that had you not moved out,”

“Charlotte Grace Ridley, I’m going to give you one last chance to open this damn door on your own,” Liam raised his tone. “Do I need to count to three?”

“You can come inside, but I’m not going with you, if that’s what you’re here to talk about,” Charlotte groaned as soon as she opened the door.

“Since _I’m_ the one making that decision,” Liam started, stepping into the bedroom before closing the door behind him, “I suggest you rethink that attitude,”

“Why can’t you just come home?” Charlotte jumped back on the bed and sat with her legs crossed. “It’s been one month already, daddy... four whole weeks,”

“It’s not that easy, Charlotte,” Liam sat down on the edge of her bed.

“You said you two needed time to think,” the eight year old continued, “four weeks is a lot of time to spend thinking so...” she paused, looking deep into his eyes, “are you back in love with mom?”

“I never _stopped_ loving your mom, Charlie,” Liam replied instantly, “

“We’ve been fighting a lot lately and we decided that maybe some time apart would make things better but that doesn’t mean we don’t love each other anymore, princess,” he spoke softly, throwing one arm around her shoulders so he could pull her closer to him. “Sometimes couples go through a tough phase and for some reason mommy and I have been disagreeing on pretty much everything these past two months... we don’t know what’s happening to us because we do love each other, Charlotte, but if we can’t see eye to eye then we need to step down and take a moment to think about our relationship,”

“Mommy cries every night, dad,” Charlotte murmured. “She plays the piano while I’m in the shower and Maggie is giving Olivia her bath and she’s always crying when she comes upstairs to kiss us goodnight,” she told him. “She even comes to my bed late at night because she feels lonely… Can’t you see that she misses you?”

_“Mom?” Charlotte lifted her head from the pillow and pushed the pink furry eye mask up her forehead. “Is that you?” She yawned, turning on her bedside lamp as her mother closed the door behind her before heading towards the bed._

_“Can I sleep with you tonight?” Fallon asked._

_“Are you crying?” The eight year old scooted to the left, allowing her mother to lie on the large bed with her._

_“I’m okay, princess,” Fallon took a deep breath and ran her hand over her eyes probably for the tenth time that night to get rid of the tears._

_“You’re not okay,” Charlotte took her small hand to Fallon’s cheek and stared into her mother’s eyes. It was dark but the yellow light coming from her lamp revealed how red and puffy her eyes actually were. “What happened?”_

_“Nothing that you need to know, Charlie,” Fallon slid under the heavy blankets and rested her head on one of the pillows behind her._

_“Did you and daddy fight again?” Charlotte whispered before snuggling against her mother. Fallon wrapped her arms around her small frame, pulling her even closer to her chest as she felt the tears starting to betray her again._

_“No, baby,” she replied softly. “Daddy called to ask if he could take you and Liv out to lunch tomorrow and mommy realized how much she misses him, that’s all…”_

“I miss her too, Charlie, but it’s not that easy,”

“How come, daddy?” She looked up at him with a frown. “You just have to grab your stuff, put them in the car and come back,”

“Not that, princess,” Liam couldn’t help but giggle at her innocent response. “You don’t need to know all of the details but your mom and I need to talk before we can decide about me coming home, okay?”

“You’ve been living at Uncle Sam’s hotel for one month, daddy,” she replied. “Why haven’t you two talked yet?”

“We tried a couple of times and it went as bad as it used to when I was living here,” Liam decided to give his daughter an honest answer because he knew the questions would never stop if he wasn’t straightforward with her. “We don’t want to live apart, baby. We love each other and we want to be together... we want to be together in this house with you and Olivia but you need to understand that mom and dad need this time apart so they can figure out how to be together again without all those arguments and fights,” he explained as he wrapped his arms around her waist to keep her in place.

“When Molly and I fought at school you told me that it’s okay to have a disagreement once in a while because nobody’s perfect,” Charlotte raised one of her hands to brush her hair out of her face. “You said we all have our differences and sometimes we won’t agree with what the other person says, even if we care about them very much. So you told me that I had to talk to Molly about the theme of your project so we could discuss all of our ideas until we reached an agreement,” she told him. “She’s my best friend, daddy! I had to ask crazy Luna to push me on the swings during break because Molly wasn’t talking to me and it was the worst day of school ever! Then on the next day you took me to school and you made us talk... Why can’t you and mommy talk and then you come home?”

“Because mommy and I have history and a certain baggage, princess,” Liam started, his hand tracing random patterns on her legs. “We’ve been together for twelve years and we’ve had our share of fights and moments where we didn’t agree with each other but it starts getting harder when you have everything to lose,”

“What do you mean?” She seemed confused.

“You and Olivia are more important than anything, Charlie,” he continued. “Mommy and I want to be happy, of course, but your happiness and Olivia’s will always come first, no matter what. What we say or what we do can affect you and your sister if we’re not extremely careful and that’s the last thing we want, princess. We both had a terrible childhood because our parents were constantly fighting or trying to be better than each other and that hurt us both really bad. We don’t want any of that to ever happen to the two of you,”

“Then why do you have to live at the hotel if having you here will make Ollie and I happy?”

“Because mommy and daddy are still learning how to behave around each other after all that fighting, princess,” Liam responded. “Remember how upset you were that we couldn’t stop arguing?” She nodded. “We’re scared that if I come home before we’re both ready, it will start happening again and we don’t want that... I know you and Olivia want me and your mom to be together but right now we just need some time to figure some things out,” he ran a hand through her long brown waves before leaning forward to place a loving and caring kiss on the top of her head. No matter how many times he told himself that living at the hotel was for the greater good, it broke his heart to know he couldn’t hug his daughter like that every day. “I know you’re upset about this arrangement but we thought this would be easier for you two than having your parents fighting around the house, Charlotte. That’s the only reason why I decided to stay at the hotel for a while,”

“Why don’t you take mom out for dinner, daddy? I think it will make her happy and you can talk...” Charlotte suggested before leaning against him to rest her head on his chest. “Even if you still go back to the hotel, you two have to talk right? Just like Molly and I did?”

“You think she would agree to dinner?” Liam questioned, his eyes feeling with hope as he heard his daughter’s words.

“I don’t think you two are talking like you say you are,” she confessed. “I think you’re ignoring each other and you only talk when you come here to see us but as you keep telling me, I’m only eight and I don’t need to know all the details. So even if you two _are_ talking, you’re clearly not talking enough. If you really love mom then yeah, I think you should ask her out, daddy,”

* * *

“Ollie, be careful!” Charlotte screamed when she noticed Olivia was a second away from stepping on a Lego brick as she paced around the room. The eight year old had walked around the couch to retrieve a couple of bricks her sister had thrown there during the five minutes she thought it was fun to bend over the cushions, until she eventually got bored and decided to walk around the room.

Liam had just walked out of the living room, heading to the kitchen to make them some dinner when he heard the loud sound of Lego’s falling all over the porcelain floor along with both his girls screaming.

Olivia burst out crying as soon as she hit the floor, landing on about a hundred bricks of Lego’s after falling over the huge tower they had been building for the past hour.

“Daddy!” Charlotte called out as she ran towards her sister. “Daddy! We need help!” She touched Olivia’s face gently and was just about to lift it off the bricks when she noticed a few drops of blood on one of the yellow bricks.

“What happened?” He rushed back into the room where Charlotte and Olivia were playing as fast as he could, not even realizing he was still holding a box of elbow pasta in one hand and a spoon in the other.

“Ollie tripped over one of the bricks and fell on our tower,” Charlotte explained. “I was behind the couch and I didn’t have time to help her, dad,” she was shaking and from the sound of her voice, he could tell she was about to start crying too.

Liam threw the pasta and the spoon against the cushions and reached for Olivia, picking her up from the bricks before sitting down on the couch with his baby girl on his legs.

“Let me see, pumpkin,” Liam cupped Olivia’s tiny hand and delicately moved it away from her mouth so he could check the damage and figure out where the blood was coming from.

“I’m sorry, daddy,” Charlotte took a seat right beside them and wrapped an arm around Olivia before leaning in to place a kiss on the top of her head.

“It’s not your fault, Charlie,” Liam reassured her. “It was an accident, okay?” He pulled Olivia’s lip up and quickly noticed the blood was coming from the bruised gum right above her central teeth. “It seems to be just a scratch but let’s get it cleaned so we can be sure,”

As soon as they walked into the kitchen, Liam sat Olivia down on the counter and turned on the water. Charlotte rushed after them and stood right in front of her sister, keeping her hands over her knees so she wouldn’t fall off while Liam grabbed a dishcloth from one of the top cabinets.

“Do you know where the first aid kit is, dad?” Charlotte looked up at him.

“I’m not sure but check the bottom cabinets, princess,” Liam suggested. Opening Olivia’s mouth slightly, he covered his index finger with the wet dishcloth and placed it on her bruised gum, careful not to make her uncomfortable but making sure he was applying enough pressure to stop the bleeding. “It doesn’t look bad, Charlie. We just need to wash it so it doesn’t get infected but Liv is just fine,”

“Daddy…” Olivia murmured.

“Just a couple more minutes, pumpkin,” Liam pulled her closer to him and Olivia quickly snuggled against his chest as the crying subsided.

“Found it!” Charlotte exclaimed, pulling the small white box from under the sink. “Apparently grandma doesn’t buy fun Band-Aid’s, Ollie,” she informed as she approached her sister. “We need to make sure she’s all good, daddy,”

Liam’s finger was still in Olivia’s mouth when Charlotte started placing the transparent bandages all over her sister’s arms and legs, covering every spot that seemed to have hit the bricks during her fall, and the two year old couldn’t help but laugh as Charlotte’s fingers tickled her skin.

“You’re so lucky to have a big sister like Charlotte, aren’t you?” Liam kissed Olivia’s forehead.

“Should we put one in her mouth too?” The eight year old frowned. “I highly doubt this thing tastes good,” she glanced between Liam and the Band-Aid box.

“No, princess,” Liam chuckled. “Her mouth will heal on its own, but let’s go easy on the bandages, okay? We don’t need to turn Olivia into a mummy,”

“Are you sure?” Charlotte asked. “There’s a tiny cut on her bottom lip and mom’s going to make a _scene_ when she sees it, dad,” she told him. “You do know that, right?” She paused. “Maybe we can steal one of her red lipsticks and she won’t even notice!”

“And how are we going to explain to mom why her two year old baby is wearing red lipstick, smarty?” Liam countered.

“Yeah, that was a bad call, Charlotte,” she sighed, shaking her head.

“We’re not going to lie, princess,” Liam threw the dishcloth inside the sink then settled Olivia on the right side of his body. “I’m going to call your mom and tell her exactly what happened but maybe you should start collecting those Lego’s?”

“Why do I have to do that all by myself?” Charlotte complained. “Ollie was playing too! She needs to help me put them away,”

“Since Olivia’s hurt, I think it would be very nice of you to get the bricks, Charlie,” Liam spoke softly. “Can you do that for daddy while I call your mom?”

“I want to talk to mom too,” she murmured.

“I promise I won’t hang up until you’ve talked to her, okay?” Liam cupped her cheek. “But I would like if you got those Lego bricks from the floor and put them in the boxes first,”

“Okay,” Charlotte nodded, “but tell mom that I want to talk to her too!”

Liam made a quick stop at the fridge to get some of the ice cream he had bought for the weekend before sitting down at the corner table. Unlocking his phone, he went straight to the phone app where he had no trouble finding Fallon’s name on the top of the Favorites list.

While he waited for Fallon to pick up, he opened the pint of Talenti Gelato and handed Olivia the spoon. He wondered what Fallon was doing on a Sunday afternoon that she didn’t pick up on the first ring but before he could move his finger across the screen to end the call, her face appeared on the screen.

 _“Hey,”_ Fallon held the phone in front of her as she moved around her closet. She was wearing a bathrobe and a towel wrapped around her hair so he guessed she was in the shower when he started calling.

“Mama!” Olivia exclaimed before pushing a huge spoon of ice cream in her mouth.

“Easy, Liv,” Liam tried to reach for the pint but Olivia held tighter onto it so she could dip the spoon in the ice cream again.

“It’s _cawamel_ cookie _cwunch_ , mommy!” She told Fallon.

 _“I know we agreed on keeping each other updated on Olivia’s eating but you don’t really have to call me when she’s eating,”_ Fallon couldn’t help but laugh.

“This is not exactly why I’m calling, Fallon,” Liam paused, losing his train of thought when he noticed the _“Mr.”_ embroidered on the left side of the bathrobe Fallon was wearing.

 _“I’m going to put you down for a second but go on,”_ she set the iPhone on one of the shelves, turning the camera towards the ceiling so she could put on her panties.

“We had one tiny accident this afternoon,” he continued.

 _“What?”_ Fallon screamed, dropping the pajama pants she had just chosen as she tried to reach for her phone. _“What the hell happened, Liam?”_ She asked seriously.

“I’m just trying to help, pumpkin,” Liam grabbed the end of the spoon so he could hold it against her mouth for a few seconds, hoping the coolness from the ice cream would help her bruised gum.

 _“Where’s Charlotte?”_ Fallon’s eyes widened when she noticed Charlotte wasn’t anywhere around her father and sister. _“Why am I not hearing her voice? That girl talks all day, Liam! Where the hell is Charlotte?”_ She plopped down on the cream-colored velvet footstool right in the middle of the closet.

“Charlotte’s fine, Fallon,” Liam replied quickly, “but this little one here,” he glanced at the two year old currently sitting on his lap, “tripped and fell over a bunch of Lego’s,”

 _“Oh my god!”_ Her hand flew to her mouth in panic and desperation. _“I figured Charlotte was just playing doctor with her again when I saw all those bandages on her arms. What the hell happened to my baby girl, Liam?”_ She demanded.

“Well, Charlotte _did_ exaggerate a little bit…” Liam admitted, holding the camera closer to Olivia’s skin as he pulled one of the bandages. “See? Her arm is perfect and totally bruise free,” he told Fallon. “There are a few scratches on her legs but nothing you should worry about,”

“Eat, daddy,” Olivia offered him a spoonful of ice cream.

“Thank you, pumpkin,” Liam ran his fingers through her blonde waves. “Her face hit a few bricks when she fell and one of the edges bruised her lips and gum,”

 _“Her_ face _?”_ Fallon exclaimed.

“It bled for a few minutes but I swear it’s just a tiny cute, Fallon,” he continued. “I washed it with lots of water to make sure it doesn’t get infected or anything and I got the ice cream so it would numb the bruises a little bit,”

 _“Pumpkin, are you feeling any pain?”_ She asked, her eyes filled with concern.

“No, mommy,” Olivia shook her head. “Ice _cweam_ helps!”

“I didn’t want you to find out through Charlie or when I drop them off tomorrow so I decided to just give you a call...”

 _“Thank you. I really appreciate you calling,”_ Fallon mumbled. _“Can I see those lips?”_

“Can we show mommy what happened, pumpkin?” Liam asked Olivia. “It’s just for one minute and then you can go back to your ice cream,”

 _“The camera is not exactly high definition but they look quite swollen to me, Liam,”_ she mentioned.

“It’s because of the impact against the Lego’s but the bleeding has stopped and she’s perfectly fine,” Liam reassured her. “I can send you some pictures after I brush her teeth,”

 _“Make sure to apply some ointment on her lips before putting her to bed so she’s not left with a scar. My baby girl_ cannot _have scars on her pretty face, Liam, she’s too precious and beautiful,”_ Fallon instructed. _“You will find one in the medicines’ bag I packed for them,”_

“Will do,” Liam offered her a smile.

_“I know ice cream is cold and it’s very helpful at moments like this, Liam, but I doubt you’ve given them any dinner yet since it’s only five o’clock,”_

“I was just about to start on some mac and cheese when she fell,” Liam explained. “I’ll make sure she eats something healthy before bed though,”

 _“Try giving her a fruit or some vegetables,”_ Fallon suggested. _“She’s already having ice cream and having mac and cheese as well at night won’t be good for her. That’s definitely too many carbs for a two year old to have at night. How was the afternoon snack?”_

“Charlotte ate two turkey sandwiches and a small sized Lays and Olivia ate a bowl of berries,” Liam told her. “Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries... five of each,”

_“Did Olivia eat everything?”_

“It took her a while but Charlotte managed to slip some into her mouth when Olivia was too focused on the Lego’s,” he answered. “I wasn’t really sure leaving them alone would be good but I asked Charlotte to keep an eye on her and stick to her own snack,” he giggled. “She even said she tried to give Olivia some of her chips but that Olivia couldn’t care less about it,”

 _“How is it possible that we have a daughter that eats everything and one that hates food?”_ Fallon groaned in complaint.

“Beats me...” Liam shrugged.

 _“Liam, I was actually going to call you later tonight but since you’ve called, there’s something I need to talk to you about,”_ Fallon paused. _“I got an e-mail earlier this afternoon from the agent of an influencer I’m trying to get for Fallon Unlimited,”_

“That Mexican girl? The one who talks and writes recommendations about beauty products, skin care and all that girl stuff?” He asked.

 _“Yeah, that one,”_ she replied. _“I’ve been waiting for her reply for so long that I thought she had just ignored us. However, it turns out that she’s interested in talking to us about doing something for the online magazine,”_

“That’s great, Fallon! She seems like a great girl,” Liam smiled brightly. “I’m so happy for you!”

 _“The only problem is that she’s based in New York and apparently she holds every meeting there and this one isn’t any different,”_ Fallon decided to go straight to the point. _“The e-mail was pretty much a formality because her agent wants a meeting with me an Allison tomorrow afternoon at The Ritz,”_ she told him. _“If she likes what we have to offer and, of course, the amount of money we put on the table, then we will discuss the final details with Miss Rivera on Wednesday morning, when she’s back from visiting her family in Mexico,”_ she tried to give him as many details as she could considering she was just about to ask him for one big favor that was definitely not in any of their plans or schedules. _“Would it be okay for you to stay with them until I come back?”_

“What if I’ve already made plans for the week, Fallon?” Liam questioned.

 _“Then I will pick them up first thing in the morning, Liam, like we had already discussed,”_ Fallon replied. _“I know I’m calling last minute and I have no intention of screwing up whatever plans you have for the week... I’m sure Alexis will be thrilled to fly to New York for a couple of days so I will just take them with me,”_

“You wouldn’t consider staying here with them?” Liam continued. “In Atlanta?”

 _“Charlotte doesn’t have school so what’s the big deal, Liam?”_ She countered.

“The big deal is that you’re only looking for a solution that involves closing this girl for the magazine,” Liam raged. “Have you ever considered not taking it because it’s too last minute and your current life situation requires at least a little bit of planning ahead?” He asked. “Pumpkin, that’s enough ice cream...” he closed the pint and cleaned her hands and mouth with a napkin before setting Olivia on her feet. “Why don’t you go find your sister?” He suggested.

 _“I’m here with good intentions, okay? I asked you an honest question, Liam!”_ Fallon fired back when she noticed Olivia running out of the kitchen. _“We’ve never had problems with business trips before. I don’t understand why they’re such a big deal now,”_ she ran a hand through her hair. She hadn’t even had a chance to brush it and it was starting to bother her. _“This deal is important for the company so yes, I’m trying to come up with a solution that is good for everyone but don’t you dare accuse me of putting this deal before the girls!”_

“What if I don’t want you to take them to New York with you?” Liam’s tone was serious.

 _“What’s the matter, Liam? You think I’m going to rent a car under a fake name, drive across the Canada border and disappear with them?”_ Fallon replied sarcastically.

“No, Fallon, I think not even _you_ would be crazy enough to pull that kind of bullshit,” Liam raised his voice. “It doesn’t matter whether I have plans or not! I just want you to stop focusing on that damn company and closing negotiations when your marriage is falling to pieces!” He screamed, not even realizing how much he had been holding those words inside.

 _“Look, I don’t need your authorization to fly with them within the country,”_ Fallon spoke. _“If you don’t want to stay with them for the next three days simply because those were supposed to be my days, then don’t. Go do whatever you have planned. I hope you have a lot of fun but Alexis and I will be at your doorstep at eight o’clock sharp and I expect my daughters to be ready to go because Charlotte and Olivia are flying to New York with me tomorrow morning,”_ she screamed before ending the facetime call.

Liam nervously ran a hand through his hair as soon as the screen turned black. When he couldn’t hold the anger, he threw his phone at the wall across the room without realizing Charlotte and Olivia had just stepped into the kitchen hand in hand, just in time to watch his phone crash on the floor.

“You promised you would let me talk to mom!” Charlotte complained. “The Lego’s are all inside the boxes like you asked but now I wanna go home!”

“I’m going to make you two some dinner,” Liam took a deep breath. “Why don’t you go watch a movie or something in the meantime?”

“I hate you! You are ruining this family!” Charlotte screamed, letting go of her sister’s hand before running towards the stairs that led to the second floor of the mansion.

* * *

It wasn’t even four in the morning when Fallon decided she had had enough of tossing and turning and reached for her phone on the nightstand. She hadn’t been able to focus on anything after her fight with Liam. She tried organizing some of the girls’ stuff in their bedrooms, she tried working on the proposal she was going to present to Miss Rivera and she even tried reading a book Liam had gotten her months back but nothing seemed to work.

Every time Fallon thought the situation between them was heading towards a positive outcome, they managed to backslide and that fight through facetime proved just that. She had spent hours walking around what used to be _their_ mansion, wondering whether she should call him back to apologize but her pride was just too big to let her to do such thing. Instead, she crawled under the covers and hugged his pillow against her chest as tight as she could as she finally allowed the tears take over.

She closed her eyes as soon as she the screen lit up, the light suddenly bringing her some discomfort in the dark bedroom even though the brightness had been completely turned off. When her eyes finally adjusted to the bright screen, she noticed there were some e-mail notifications and even some promotional ads from a couple of designer stores but what really caught her attention were the three text messages from Liam.

**02:47am - Liam:** _I was completely out of line and acted like a jerk. I’m sorry._

**02:58am - Liam:** _Charlotte and I had quite a heated argument after our fight. I’m starting to realize I might have made things worse and I really can’t blame her for yelling at me. I just don’t know what to do. Should I be angry at her when I was the one that brought that up?_

**03:24am - Liam:** _I understand why you need to go to New York and I’m sorry I started yet another stupid fight. I will gladly watch the girls for a few more days. Go do your thing._

Sitting up straight on the bed, Fallon leaned back against the headboard while running a hand through her hair. If she hadn’t been able to get any sleep before, she definitely wasn’t going to fall asleep anytime soon after reading those texts. Placing her iPhone on one of the pillows, she raised both her hands to her forehead and pulled her knees against her chest. She took a deep breath as she considered whether she should or not reply to them while weighing the pros and cons of taking Charlotte and Olivia to New York with her.

For about ten minutes, all Fallon could do was conjure up every possible scenario in her head until she decided she would only be acting like a stubborn child if she didn’t reply to his texts. He had apologized for his behavior so the least she could do was act as mature as he had acted. Reaching for her phone, she started to type a message suggesting he flew to New York with them but the more she stared at the few words in the small white box, the more she realized she shouldn’t send anything like that. Hitting the backspace key, she deleted the words as fast as she had written them in the first place.

**03:58am - Fallon:** _Thank you. I’m sorry I threatened to fly with them without your permission. I will drop by before my flight to leave an extra suitcase there with a few more outfits for the girls._

**03:59am - Fallon:** _Would it be okay if Daisy stayed with you as well?_

**04:02am - Fallon:** _I will call you later so you can explain that argument you had with Charlotte._

As Fallon hit send, she felt the terrible weight on her shoulders starting to disappear and it only took her a long yawn to notice that her body had eventually decided to rest. Turning around, she placed her phone on the nightstand then slid back under the blankets, making sure she was holding the pillow that still smelled so much like his cologne tightly against her chest as she finally allowed herself to drift off.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst, angst, angst... I know!!! I still hope you enjoyed reading this chapter! Let me know what you think!!


	28. Without You - Part II

“George, give me another one, please,” Fallon murmured while sliding the empty glass towards the bartender on the other side of the counter.

“Perhaps a glass of water, miss?” He suggested when he noticed her running a hand through her long brown hair.

“I believe I’m paying you to fill my glass with scotch, George,” reaching for her small purse, she grabbed another hundred dollar bill from one of its inside pockets and offered it to him, holding the folded bill between two fingers as she rested her elbow on the counter.

“You’ve been sitting there for almost two hours,” George mentioned. “Are you here just for the overpriced alcohol or do you plan on enjoying the what this nightclub has to offer?”

Fallon turned around and glanced at the crowded dance floor for a couple of seconds before returning to the bartender. He didn’t have to stare long at her piercing blue eyes to know how dilated her pupils were from all the alcohol she had been drinking.

“Just keep them coming, alright?” Fallon groaned, taking the recently filled glass to her lips. “I’m not paying you to ask questions,” she drank the amber liquid in one gulp, its burning sensation against her throat bringing her the sense of relief she needed so much that night.

The meeting with Miss Rivera’s agent had gone great and they seemed to be quite excited to work with Fallon Unlimited. During the two hours long meeting, they talked through the entire contract, discussing every single detail in it until both parts were completely satisfied with what the other had to offer.

As important as signing that deal was to the company, Fallon hadn’t been able to focus on a word the agent sitting only a few feet from her was saying. Allison had conducted the whole meeting, focused on the best interests of the company she had been working for years while Fallon thought about everything that was currently going wrong in her life. All the CEO could think about was the three people she had left in Atlanta that morning, the man and the two little girls that she loved more than anything in the world.

“Another one, George,” Fallon requested. “Make it double this time though,”

_“Morning,” Liam spoke softly as he stepped into the kitchen._

_Charlotte was eating her cereal in silence, reading one of her Harry Potter books while Fallon tried to feed Olivia some breakfast. Normally, Fallon enjoyed how much her eight year old talked in the mornings because it always managed to cheer her up even though she was far from being a morning person. On that rainy morning, however, she couldn’t be more thankful that Charlotte had chosen to read because the silence was definitely helping her deal with the stress._

_“Hi daddy,” Charlotte mumbled with the spoon in her mouth._

_Olivia had woken up around five o’clock, calling and begging for her mother as she jumped up and down in her crib. As the light sleeper one, Liam was usually the one who woke up in the middle of the night or early in the morning when he heard the girls through the baby monitor but on that specific morning, he hadn’t even budged._

_“I believe I asked you not to leave beer bottles all over the living room,” the words left Fallon’s mouth in a somewhat rude tone._

_Charlotte immediately looked up from her hardcover book and glanced between her parents. Liam had just opened the fridge to get some orange juice but stopped on his tracks as soon as he heard his wife’s reply but Fallon didn’t even bother to look at him, focusing on feeding Olivia a spoonful of yogurt._

_“Come on, pumpkin,” Fallon insisted but the two year old did nothing but shake her head in denial. “You told me you were hungry, Liv,” she mentioned, staring at the barely touched fruit salad and the completely rejected scrambled eggs on the table before she finally turned towards Liam. “Look, I don’t care if you want to stay up late because of football but I don’t want them to wake up and see all those bottles,” Fallon continued._

_“It was only a six pack, Fallon,” Liam rolled his eyes. “You drink a lot more than that,” he groaned._

_“First of all, I don’t drink that crappy thing,” the brunette started. “Second, even when I_ do _drink alcohol, which does happen frequently, yes, I don’t drink in front of them and I definitely do_ not _leave empty bottles around the house, Liam!” She countered._

 _“No_ yogut _,” Olivia kicked her legs under the tray of her highchair, tilting her body to the right as she tried to see her father._

_“What’s going on?” Liam asked, gesturing towards their baby daughter._

_“She woke up because she was hungry and I’ve been trying all kinds of breakfast for the past two hours but clearly, nothing is good enough,” Fallon explained, clearly bothered and upset by their daughter’s behavior that morning. “You like the strawberry flavor one. Open your mouth for mommy, pumpkin,”_

_When she took the spoon to Olivia’s lips, the two year old closed her mouth as tight as she could and continued to shake her head but not before hitting her mother’s hand. The mess caused by the spoon falling on the tray would be considerably bearable had Olivia not hit the plastic yogurt cup as well, spilling the pink liquid all over Fallon._

_“Okay, that’s it! If you don’t want to eat then don’t eat!” Fallon screamed, standing up from her seat abruptly as she headed towards the sink to get a towel to clean herself. “Also, don’t wake me at freaking five in the morning because you’re hungry if you’re not going to eat a single thing I give you!” She added. “And Liam,” she turned towards her husband, “if you’re going to leave more bottles of that stupid beer all over the living room tonight, don’t even bother coming to our bed after the game,”_

Fallon had lost count of how many drinks she had already had. As much as the bartender told her to go easy on the alcohol, as long as those hundred dollar bills kept coming, her glass wouldn’t be empty for more than a minute. While her subconscious begged her to stop drinking and even head back to the hotel, she insisted on another glass.

Deep down, she knew drowning her sorrows in a bottle of whisky wasn’t the solution but she was at a nightclub all by herself, on the opposite side of the country and almost a thousand miles away from the place she called home. No matter how wrong it was to drink herself into oblivion that night, she just couldn’t bear to do anything else. Not when her life was falling to pieces as her marriage fell apart.

They had both made mistakes and they had both said things they didn’t mean at some point. However, the more she tried to figure out a way to fix them, the more she realized they were most likely broken to the point of no return. A tear escaped her eye unwillingly as she downed the double shot whisky George had just poured into her glass.

“Hey, beautiful,” Fallon turned around when she felt a hand on her lower back, following the sound of the muffled voice behind her.

“Not interested,” she rolled her eyes at the dark haired man standing inappropriately close to her.

“Can I buy you a drink?” He asked with a devious smirk.

“I’m doing just fine, thanks,” she countered, glancing down at the hand still located on her back in disapproval as she offered George another bill.

“A hundred dollars for a shot of whisky?” His eyes widened, travelling immediately to the folded bill between her perfectly manicured fingers as he took a sip of his own drink. “Can _I_ be your bartender?” He asked. “I live only a few blocks from here, you know?”

“That would be fascinating information if I were interested in going anywhere with you,” Fallon fired back, “which I’m _not_ ,” she added. “This small object may not mean a lot to you but it _definitely_ means something to me,” she gestured at the gold ring on his finger while raising her left her for him to see the platinum wedding band sitting right below the peach diamond ring.

“Well, I’ve had my eyes on you for a while and I’m pretty sure that husband of yours is not around,” the annoying man mentioned. “Come on, beautiful. Let’s get out of here,” his tone was soft and low and he wasn’t harassing her in any way. He was no longer touching her and the distance between them was quite acceptable since he had taken a step backwards to sit down beside her, but he was definitely starting to get on her nerves with his insistence. “You’re clearly miserable. Let me put a smile on that pretty face while I make this night worth it for you,”

“Dude, I really don’t care what’s in your mind right now,” Fallon replied harshly. “Or even what’s happening in your pants but I have a husband and the fact that I’m currently getting drunk by myself doesn’t mean shit,” she told him. “Whatever you think you know, you don’t. If you’re so interested in cheating on your wife then go ahead, but I have my own share of problems to deal with right now and I couldn’t care less about your marital problems,”

“Can I at least give you my number? In case you change your mind?”

“No,” Fallon turned away from him. “Now please go away so I can continue to enjoy my whisky in peace,” she demanded in a rather angry tone. “I seriously don’t understand this urge to sleep with the first person you find attractive when you’re having problems at home,” she mumbled while taking a sip of her drink. “I don’t even remember the last time I kissed my husband on the lips, let alone the last time we slept together but I still would _never_ consider doing such thing,”

“That might be a stupid way to deal with your problems but I wouldn’t say hiding in a nightclub while drinking into oblivion is exactly the smart way,” George reached for the empty glasses a group had just left on the counter and placed them in the sink.

“I know that,” the brunette rolled her eyes. “I just need a night off... a few hours without the weight of a possible divorce hanging over my shoulders,” she spoke with a shrug.

“How is getting drunk going to help, if I may ask?”

“If there’s one thing that I’m good at, George, it’s drinking my problems away,” Fallon slid the empty glass towards him, waiting for the next round. “So yeah, tonight I’m taking the coward’s way out. What my husband doesn’t know can’t really hurt us,”

_“That was a waste of time,” Fallon groaned as they walked through the parking lot, heading towards their car._

_“I wouldn’t consider it a waste of time, Fallon,” Liam countered. “We still don’t know exactly why Liv won’t eat so it makes sense that we listen to as many doctors as we can,”_

_“It makes sense if they have something useful to say,” she rolled her eyes, opening the door to the passenger seat while Liam placed Olivia safely in her car seat. “This guy barely examined her and suddenly he has a lot of things to say about our daughter? No, that’s not how it works, Liam,”_

_“He went through all of her exams right in front of us, Fallon!” He turned his head towards her._

_“Yeah, just before he told us how underweight and malnourished Olivia is,” Fallon ran her hand nervously through her hair, sighing in frustration as she watched Liam buckle the seatbelt across their daughter before closing the door. “As if I didn’t have important things to do at the office, I have to waste two hours of my afternoon and throw a thousand dollars down the drain to hear that!” She exclaimed._

_“What if she_ is _sick, Fallon?” Liam asked._

_“Our daughter is not sick, Liam!”_

_“Are you a doctor, by any chance? Can you tell that for sure, Fallon?” He replied. “Because you could definitely enlighten me on your own diagnosis for Olivia if you seem to know a lot about what a doctor should or should not say,” he added while turning on the car. “Why don’t you cut the crap and act like a grown up for a change, Fallon? And maybe don’t complain about every single thing Doctor Wells said just because you didn’t like his guts,”_

_“Did you fail to notice how he kept staring at my breasts during the appointment?” Fallon questioned, crossing her arms against her chest._

_“Olivia was sitting on your legs, Fallon. I’m sure he was just looking at her while he talked,” he muttered._

_“Yeah, then why didn’t it stop once Olivia was on your lap?” She countered. “I mean, not that you would care since you haven’t been exactly interested in them for weeks now,” she shrugged._

_“Don’t fight…” The two year old murmured, her voice so light and broken they didn’t even hear her._

_“Are we talking about Olivia or us?” He replied, not even realizing how harsh the words had sounded when they left his lips._

_“Olivia may be the subject here but she is definitely not the problem, Liam,” Fallon replied. “The problem is that we don’t agree on anything and the fact that she doesn’t eat only makes it worse because we clearly have different ways of looking at it,” she told him. “But maybe us barely touching each other is also something we should address?”_

_“Look, I don’t agree with everything he said but I am worried that something might be wrong with Olivia,” Liam admitted. “She’s seen so many doctors over the past few months and none of them seem to have a clue of what’s happening,” he explained. “Maybe he exaggerated when he talked about her weight because we both know she’s not malnourished. Even when she gives us a hard time, we always make sure she eats a healthy meal with all the nutrients she needs at her age,” he glanced at her for a second before focusing back on the word ahead of them. “And no, we’re not talking about us. Not right now, at least,”_

_“I didn’t like what he had to say and I’m still going to search for another pediatrician,” Fallon informed him. “We’re not putting our two year old through another blood test just because he needs to see her cells and vitamins’ level in a different way,” she groaned. “We’re also not giving her any of those drugs he prescribed,”_

_“Why not?” He raged. “Those may help her!”_

_“Because I don’t trust him and I’m not drugging my daughter into eating,” she replied. “She’s only two year old and I’m not going to give her a liquid that is going to make her feel hungry when her she’s clearly not in the mood,”_

_“She’s a baby, Fallon!_ We _choose what’s best for Olivia, not her,” Liam exclaimed. “If she hasn’t eaten in a while then we’re going to give her food, no matter how much she claims she’s not hungry!”_

_“Then we keep doing what we’re doing,”_

_“Yeah, because that’s working like a charm,” he mumbled sarcastically._

_“We are not giving her those drugs!” Fallon spoke each word carefully, the anger evident in her tone as she glared at him. “She is not sick and she’s not taking anything that asshole prescribed. Period!”_

Fallon replayed that specific fight in her mind as she practically laid over the counter, resting her arms and head on the cold surface as she asked George for another shot. It had happened over a month back, about a week before they decided that it would be best for everyone if Liam moved out for a while.

They were both clearly on edge and every single thing that happened to either them or the girls was a reason for them to fight and scream at each other. Sometimes, the stress clouded their judgment so badly they didn’t even notice they were crossing a line by fighting in front of the two girls they loved more than anything in the world. Something they had promised each other years back that they would never do in front of them. Something that their own parents had done when they were growing up and had left more scars on them than they could count.

Fallon knew by then that Olivia had come to their family to show them a different side of the world. A world that they were definitely not used to. Unlike Charlotte, she was quiet and most of the time lived in her own bubble, playing with her toys while talking to herself and her stuffed animals. She hated being the center of attention but even at a very young age, it was clear how much she enjoyed taking care of others, specially her family, and doing anything just to see a smile on her their face while asking for absolutely nothing in return. A trait she had totally inherited from her father. Something that allowed Fallon to see so much purity and innocence in her little girl, enough for her to know that her daughter would be able to conquer so much in her life with it.

For almost six years, they were used to having a daughter that had always been quite independent and wanted to do everything on her own. Mostly because she felt it would make her look more like a grown up but also because she was a curious child that wanted to learn about simply everything. Over the past few months, Olivia had been trying more and more to follow Charlotte’s footsteps and do everything her big sister did but she was always the one to pay careful attention to all of the details and to only speak when necessary.

Unlike her sister, Olivia didn’t enjoy doing anything by herself. She would always ask Charlotte to play with her but whenever her big sister was at school, she managed to find a way to cling to Liam, as he was the one that was constantly home. She loved snuggling against her father’s chest, mostly when he spent the entire day working on his most recent book and they could enjoy each other for hours on end without anyone bothering them in the quietness of his office.

However, as soon as Fallon walked through the front door at the end of the day, Olivia would run into her mother’s arms and would hardly ever let go of her. She would wrap her arms around Fallon’s neck and would beg to be carried around everywhere because she missed her mother.

They had known their daughters were completely different from the day Olivia was born, but it took their baby girl to start having eating problems for them to realize that they didn’t know everything about parenting as they thought they did.

While they needed to learn how to raise a girl that was so affectionate and caring but was also an introvert and didn’t speak much, not even about what she wanted the most, they also needed to learn how to handle Charlotte whenever she tried to boss her sister around. Something that Fallon used to do rather frequently to Liam early in their relationship and that had taken her years to learn how to be more careful and act more respectful towards him.

They were both trying their best but when things started getting more difficult and challenging, it wasn’t exactly a surprise that they began snapping at each other. Suddenly, everything was a reason for them to argue and fight and as the weeks went by, they couldn’t even engage on a proper conversation without throwing angry words and defying looks at each other.

“Are you alright?” George asked when he noticed Fallon staring deeply at her phone, her head still on the counter as she used a straw to drink her whisky. She didn’t plan on stopping anytime soon but she felt to weak to lift her head or even move.

“Maybe I’m the problem, George,” Fallon murmured. “I’m pretty sure I’m the one snapping at everything because I’m always too stressed out,” she admitted. “I’m the reason my husband and I are in this…”

“I think it’s time for you to go home, Fallon,” he reached for her glass and pulled it away from her, throwing the remaining whisky in the sink before setting the glass down.

“I can’t,” she groaned, finally lifting her head off the counter. “I live in Atlanta and I’m pretty sure I’m not in Georgia right now,” she looked around the nightclub, the room spinning in front of her due to all the alcohol she had ingested. “Where the hell am I?” Her hand flew to her mouth when she suddenly felt an urge to throw up.

“Hell’s Kitchen,” George replied.

“New York?!” Fallon exclaimed in surprise. _What the hell am I doing in New York?_ She wondered, running her hand through her hair while blinking non-stop, hoping it would help her see things clearer. The dark room with moving lights just wouldn’t stop spinning and she felt like throwing up every time the green light from the dance floor illuminated the bar. “Yeah, if there was still a chance to save my marriage, I most definitely ruined it with my stupidity and drunken self,”

“Is there someone I can call to come pick you up?” He asked.

“No,”

“Can you stay awake long enough to get back to your hotel in a cab?”

“It’s not like I have any other option,” Fallon rolled her eyes, groaning as she reached for her purse.

“Easy!” George exclaimed when she tripped on her own heels and almost fell on the floor. “Look, I’m going to put you in a cab and send you to your hotel but you have to promise me you’re going to stay awake during the whole drive,” he rounded the counter and grabbed her arm gently.

“I wanna see the Empire State Building,” she turned towards George, slurring her words as he tried to guide her towards the nightclub’s exit. “Oh, I love New York!” She exclaimed. “What color do you think it is tonight?” She asked.

“You can check that building tomorrow once you’re sober but tonight you’re going back to your hotel,” he told her. “Where are you staying?”

“Plaza,” she mumbled.

“Man, take her to the Plaza as soon as possible,” George asked the driver as he helped Fallon get in the backseat.

“It was nice meeting you, George,” Fallon offered him a smile before the cab drove away.

* * *

It was only nine o’clock in the morning when Fallon woke up to the unceasing sound of her phone vibrating next to her. She hadn’t even realized she had fallen asleep with her head on the edge of the bathtub after throwing up for hours. Staring down at herself, she noticed she was still wearing a black cocktail dress and her shinny black stilettos were scattered around the bathroom along with her purse and jacket.

“Who the hell is this?” Fallon asked harshly as she accepted the call.

“Harold,” the man replied right away. “Your lawyer?” He added. “You sent me an e-mail last night asking me to file for divorce first thing in the morning but I’m afraid there are some things we need to discuss before I do that, Mrs. Ridley,”

“What?” Fallon screamed. Her own voice echoed around the room, intensifying the pounding in her head. “What e-mail, Harold?” She was just about to run a hand through her hair as she took a deep breath when she noticed her hand was bare of both her engagement ring and wedding band.

 _“Harold, I’ve made my decision. File for divorce first thing in the morning. Regards, Fallon.”_ The lawyer read the words she had sent him the night before. “I’ve being going through everything for the past hour but I couldn’t exactly file for divorce without a few important details, Mrs. Ridley,”

Fallon couldn’t remember a single thing about the night before. As much as she tried, it was all a blur and she couldn’t even remember where she had gone in that outfit and she definitely did _not_ remember sending her lawyer and e-mail asking him to put an end to her marriage. She could barely keep her eyes open and her headache was so terribly annoying it was almost impossible for her to focus on what Harold was saying.

“You signed the prenup before you got married but you’ve never updated it,” Harold continued. “It says that if you were to get divorced, you’d keep everything you had individually before the wedding and everything after the wedding would be split in two parts, half for you and half for Mr. Ridley,” he explained, not even sure she was actually understanding and processing his words. “You gave half of the shares of Fallon Unlimited to him. Should I type a deal for you to buy them back?”

“Harold…” She tried to speak but the words were barely a whisper as they left her lips.

As Fallon stood up on her feet, she slipped on one of her stilettos and had to hold onto the sink so she wouldn’t fall. All she had to do was make to the mini fridge so she could grab a bottle of water.

“When it comes to real estate, you have the mansion here in Atlanta, the penthouse in Paris and the house in Provence. Which ones should I say you want?” Harold asked. “Also, are we filling for full custody of the girls?”

“Harold, no,” she raised her tone. “Stop!” She screamed when it all became too much for her to handle.

“Is everything okay, Mrs. Ridley?”

“No, it’s not,” Fallon confessed, “but you’re not filing for divorce, Harold!” She told him. “Tell me you didn’t do anything…” She begged. “Please, Harold, tell me you didn’t file anything! Tell me Liam did not get anything from me!”

“I haven’t, Mrs. Ridley. Since the prenup is ten years old, I wanted to make sure we talked through all the other clauses before I filed it,” Harold explained. “Specially since there are children involved,”

“Don’t file for anything, Harold!” She exclaimed. “It was a terrible mistake and Liam _cannot_ find out about any of this, Harold!”

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Ridley, your husband won’t be notified of anything,”

“I sure hope so. I need to go now, bye,” she ended the call without even giving him a chance to say anything else and threw her iPhone on the bed.

Taking a small bottle of water from the mini fridge, she drank everything in one gulp before reaching for another one.

“How could you’ve been so stupid and reckless, Fallon?” She asked herself as she grabbed a chocolate bar from the box on top of the mini fridge. “Oh god, where are my rings?”

Fallon set the water bottle and the half eaten chocolate bar on the table then rushed towards the bed, throwing every pillow and every blanket on the floor as she searched for her most precious jewelry. She had already searched inside her purse and couldn’t find them. They were not on the nightstand and apparently they weren’t on the bed either so she plopped down on the carpeted floor, both her hands in her hair as tears stared rolling down her cheeks.

The suite was a mess and Fallon still couldn’t recall a single thing that had happened last night. She could only thank her lawyer for wanting to be so good at his job that he actually called her to go through all of the details before actually filing for divorce. She couldn’t help but wonder what she had done the night before to ask him so directly and emotionless to end her relationship with the man she loved more than anything in the world.

When Fallon turned around to reach for her phone, she recognized the small object shining under the bed and reached for the peach diamond immediately, placing it on her finger before she started moving the bed around in search of her wedding band.

It took her about fifteen minutes to find the platinum band with Liam’s name and the date of their wedding written inside it but as soon as they were both back where they belonged, she threw herself on the bed, her back hitting the bare mattress as she finally allowed herself to relax. Not only was she completely hangover, she had also found out she had almost filed for divorce and had almost lost her rings in the process.

Reaching for her phone, she quickly tapped on the messages’ app and went straight to Liam’s name.

**Fallon:** _I might fly home today. I would love to have dinner with the girls, if that’s okay with you._

It only took him a minute to reply.

**Liam:** _We actually drove up to the cabin last night. I promised them we would have storytelling and smores by the campfire tonight._

 **Liam:** _What happened to your meeting? I thought you were talking to the girl tomorrow morning?_

“I want to go home,” Fallon whispered before moving her thumbs across the small keyboard to type him a reply.

**Fallon:** _Allison is the head of the department for a reason. She can handle it._

 **Liam:** _You’re welcome to drive up here if you want._

 **Fallon:** _It might be a short flight but I’m not really in the mood to drive three hours afterwards._

It wasn’t just about the girls anymore. Fallon wanted to spend time with him even if she didn’t exactly want to admit it but as appealing as that campfire sounded, she needed to get back on her feet, sober up and focus on whatever she was going to tell Liam next time they saw each other.

**Fallon:** _Can you take them back to the house around 2PM tomorrow?_

 **Liam:** _Yes, of course._

 **Fallon:** _Thank you. Enjoy the smores. Tell them I love them to the moon and back._

 **Liam:** _I tell them that every night._

“I love you, Liam,” she whispered, placing her phone on the nightstand before heading into the bathroom to take a shower.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well... don't kill me but this storyline doesn't end here. There will be a part 3! I hope you liked this one, even though I pretty much made things even worse.
> 
> I'm excited to know what you thought about this one!! It's definitely different from anything I've ever written for this series :)


	29. Without You - Part III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I'm back! And with a LONG chapter that I really hope you enjoy after everything I put you all through last week. 
> 
> Don’t forget to check the visuals linked in this chapter and of course, enjoy reading it!!

“Can you stay for a movie?” Charlotte asked as they walked towards the house.

“Movie!” Olivia exclaimed, tightening her grip on her sister’s hand before walking up the few steps that led to the front door. “Please, daddy,” she looked up at him.

“Mom just got back from a business trip,” Liam spoke softly. “I’m sure she’ll want to spend time with the two of you,”

“She can watch the movie with us,” the eight year old suggested.

“Let’s talk to her first, okay?”

“Mommy’s singing,” Olivia’s eyes sparkled when they stepped into the house and immediately heard Fallon’s soft voice.

“Oh no,” Charlotte murmured when she instantly recognized the kind of song her mother was singing.

_You made me feel alive, but something died I fear_

_I really tried to make it out_

_I wish I understood_

_What happened to our love, it used to be so good_

The deep and melancholic notes from the piano echoed around the entire house as she sang the familiar song that resembled her feelings so much, without realizing the three of them had arrived and were currently listening to her.

_So when you’re near me,_

_Darling can’t you hear me SOS_

_The love you gave me,_

_Nothing else can save me SOS_

While Olivia seemed to be enjoying the music, Charlotte knew exactly what those lyrics meant. He could tell it wasn’t the first time Fallon sang a sad song while playing the piano in front of the girls.

_When you’re gone_

_How can I even try to go on?_

_When you’re gone_

_Though I try how can I carry on?_

When Liam glanced between them, he could swear he felt his heart breaking, mostly at the devastated look in his eldest daughter’s eyes.

He had been listening to Fallon sing for over a decade and he could tell exactly what she was feeling just by the tone in her voice. They had been home for only a minute and he didn’t have to walk into the room to know Fallon was sitting at the piano with a glass of whiskey at arm’s length while she poured her heart out through the lyrics.

_I cried a tear, you wiped it dry_

_I was confused, you cleared my mind_

_I sold my soul, you bought it back for me_

_And held me up and gave me dignity_

_Somehow you needed me_

“Is _that_ how we’re supposed to live?” Charlotte asked her father after her mother started a new song. “Are you happy now?” Throwing her backpack and teddy bear on the floor, she shook her head at him before running up the stairs as tears began to roll down her cheeks.

“Charlie!” Liam tried to call her but the eight year old didn’t even bother to look back, her feet hitting the steps with so much anger and force that for a moment he wondered how Fallon didn’t notice they had arrived.

_You gave me strength to stand alone again_

_To face the world out on my own again_

_You put me high upon a pedestal_

_So high that I could almost see eternity_

_You needed me, you needed me_

“Daddy,” Olivia reached for the teddy bear her sister had just thrown rather aggressively on the floor then extended her arms towards him.

“Come here,” Liam set the suitcase he was carrying on the floor before taking his youngest daughter in his arms.

“Mommy sad?” Olivia asked him when Liam began walking further into the house and the song started getting louder.

_And I can’t believe it’s you_

_I can’t believe it’s true_

_I needed you and you were there_

_And I’ll never leave, why should I leave?_

_I’d be a fool ‘cause I finally found someone who really cares_

“She is, baby,” Liam whispered, leaning against the threshold as soon as he laid his eyes on Fallon.

Her hair was wet and she was wearing one of her long silk robes. He could only guess she hadn’t applied any make up after showering and his eyes widened in surprise when he noticed a glass of water sitting on the top of the black piano, right where her favorite bottle of Macallan used to be when she played the instrument.

_You held my hand when it was cold_

_When I was lost, you took me home_

_You gave me hope when I was at the end_

_And turned my lies back into truth again_

_You even called me “friend”_

Liam stood there for a couple of minutes, holding Olivia in his arms while watching as Fallon’s hands moved lightly and perfectly across the keys as her legs and head moved along with the lyrics.

“I want mommy...” Olivia reached her small arms towards Fallon, groaning as she tried to leave Liam’s grip.

_You gave me strength to stand alone again_

_To face the world out on my own again_

_You put me high upon a pedestal_

_So high that I could almost see eternity_

_You needed me, you needed me_

If Fallon hadn’t already managed to crush his heart into tiny pieces with a simple song, she definitely accomplished such task when she swallowed back the tears right after finishing her song. He would never miss the soft and low sound of her sniffs when she ran her hand over her face before reaching for the glass in front of her.

“Fallon…” Liam’s soft words caused Fallon to jump on her seat.

“Liam!” She turned around, trying to get rid of the tears as quick as possible so she could face him.

“Mommy!” Olivia screamed. “Mommy!” She started squirming in Liam’s arms, kicking her legs in a desperate attempt of going from her father to her mother, who she hadn’t seen in a couple of days.

“I’m here, baby, I’m here,” Fallon rushed towards them and took the two year old in her arms, hugging her as tight as she could while placing kisses all over the delicate skin of her face. “When did you get here?” She asked Liam.

“A couple of minutes ago...” Liam murmured. “I didn’t want to ruin your song,”

“You weren’t supposed to listen to it,” Fallon admitted.

“We agreed that I would bring them back at two,” Liam told her, “if you didn’t want me to listen then you shouldn’t be singing at this time, Fallon,” he spoke playfully.

“Mommy,” Olivia wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck, clinging to her like a monkey while resting her cheek against Fallon’s.

“Mommy’s right here, pumpkin,” Fallon murmured softly. “Liam, you do know you were supposed to bring back my _two_ daughters?” She asked. “You’re not supposed to keep one of them as far as I’m concerned,” she laughed, trying to soften the mood and ease the tension that was clearly still between them.

“Charlotte ran up to her room as soon as she heard you singing,” Liam mentioned. “She knows it’s not exactly a happy song and I can’t really blame her, Fallon,” he explained, raising one of his hands to gently cup her cheek. “You were singing about us, weren’t you, Fal?” His tone was sweet as he looked deeply into her eyes.

“I miss you, okay?” She admitted exasperatedly. “The last couple of days weren’t exactly that great so yeah, I miss you, Liam. Can you blame me?”

“I missed you, mommy,” the two year old spoke up.

“I missed you too, pumpkin,” Fallon ran her fingers softly through the dirty blonde curls in her youngest daughter’s hair before placing a kiss on the top of her head. “I should go check on Charlotte,” she added quickly, trying to simply ignore what she had just told Liam since he hadn’t even bothered to say anything about it.

“I suppose I should get going then,” Liam mentioned, turning on his heels so he could step out of the room.

“Liam,” she called out before he could reach the hallway. “I asked Carol to prepare some hot dogs for the girls’ snack time,” she told him. “Would you like to stay?” She asked. “We could watch a movie or something while we eat…”

“ _Monstews_ Inc.!” Olivia exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air. “Mike _Wazowki_!” She shook her body as she bounced excitedly in her mother’s arms.

“Do you want a hot dog, pumpkin?” Fallon tickled her stomach.

“No, no hot dog,” she shook her head. “Mike _Wazowki_ , mommy!”

“Well, only little girls who eat their hot dog can watch Mike Wazowski,” Liam stepped up, placing his hand on Olivia’s back as she buried her head in the crook of Fallon’s neck. “Otherwise we’re going to have to choose another movie,” he shrugged.

“No _Fwozen_ ,” she countered. “Too much Olaf, daddy,” she groaned in complaint and the two adults couldn’t help but burst out laughing at her comment.

“Finally someone that agrees with us,” Liam turned towards Fallon with a relieved grin on his face.

“Olaf _hewe_ , olaf _thewe_ ,” Olivia shrugged, holding her palms open in the air as she rolled her eyes. While the youngest Ridley was Liam through and through, that eye roll was most certainly her mother’s. “ _Pwease_ , no _mowe_ Olaf,” she begged.

“We lived through the nothing but Frozen phase, then we went through the Monsters Inc. phase and it appears we we’re entering the third one where is Olaf versus Mike,” he chuckled.

“I’m not sure that’s exactly a good thing,” Fallon giggled before setting Olivia down on the floor. “I’m going upstairs to get Charlie,” she told him. “Maybe the word hot dog will get her to come down,”

“Alright,” Liam replied. “Liv and I will head to the kitchen to start on those hot dogs,” he added while reaching for his daughter’s tiny hand. “Can you help daddy, pumpkin?”

“Of _couse_ , daddy,” Olivia replied with a huge smile.

* * *

“Charlotte?” Fallon frowned when she walked into her daughter’s room, only to find the eight year old on all fours, her butt all the way up as her arms disappeared into the bottom of her bed along with half of her face.

“Mom?” Charlotte exclaimed, accidentally hitting her head on the hard white wood at her mother’s voice.

“What are you doing?” She asked.

“Nothing,” the small brunette turned around, sitting down on the floor while leaning back against the bed in an attempt of hiding the object she had been trying to retrieve from beneath her queen sized bed.

“Charlie...” Fallon inquired. “I understand this situation is complicated and you’re going through a lot but you’re not like this, baby,” she spoke softly, taking a few steps further into the princess themed bedroom. “You don’t act out and you don’t hide things from mommy, Charlie,” she added while sitting down next to her daughter, crossing her legs before running a hand gently through the little girl’s brown strands.

“I’m not hiding anything, mommy, I swear,” Charlotte countered.

“Then why were you trying to do, Miss Ridley?” She questioned. “Is there a secret portal to Disney World under your bed or something that I’m not aware of?” She teased. “Because from what I saw when I walked in, someone was definitely trying to retrieve something from under her bed...”

“Unfortunately not,” the eight year old shook her head. “I’m still going to need the jet or even the car to take me there,” she shrugged.

“Then what are you hiding under your bed, princess?” Fallon asked again, giving Charlotte the chance to tell her before she had to reach it for it herself, against her daughter’s will.

“It’s nothing important, mom,” Charlotte murmured. “Not anymore, at least,”

“Why don’t you show me and I will decide whether it’s important or not?” Fallon suggested, curious but also slightly worried about what her daughter was probably hiding from them.

“As I said,” she groaned while reaching for the large black book hidden so carefully under her bed. “It’s not important anymore so I called Uncle Sam and he’s coming here today to burn it since I can’t light a fire by myself,” she explained while handing her mother the heavy book.

“Burn it?” She couldn’t help but frown in both shock and confusion.

“It’s not even done yet but I lost the will the continue it,” Charlotte admitted, standing up and walking away from her mother, who was left speechless at her spot on the floor as she glanced at the small square photo right on the center of the thick black cover.

A photo she recognized way too well. It was the one they had sent out to their family and friends as their Christmas card last December. They were wearing matching reindeer pajamas and they were all laughing at the camera. Charlotte was holding Daisy in her arms while sitting on Fallon’s legs and Olivia was standing on Liam’s legs, his hands on her waist as he held her in place. Fallon and Liam both decided to tickle their girls when there was only a couple seconds left on the timer and their professional camera managed to capture the exact moment the two girls burst out laughing.

“Charlie, what is this?” Fallon asked. She could already feel the tears pooling in her eyes as she came up with all the possible guesses for the large book Charlotte had just placed on her lap.

“I had this idea months ago but I didn’t have time to finish it for Christmas so I decided to give it to you and daddy for your eleventh anniversary,” Charlotte began, pacing around the room. “Uncle Sam was helping me while you and daddy were out or at work but then daddy moved out and you didn’t celebrate your anniversary,” she explained. “So I’m just going to burn it since you and daddy are getting a divorce,” she sniffed, allowing the first hiccups to leave her body as tears started streaming down her cheeks.

“Who told you we’re getting a divorce, Charlotte?” Her tone was low and she couldn’t even look at her own daughter without desperately feeling like she was going to cry.

“You haven’t kissed in years, you don’t hug or say I love you to each other anymore,” she murmured, plopping down on the large pink velvet beanbag at one of the corners of her bedroom. “Now daddy has moved out and he told me and Ollie he’s going to check out of the hotel and he will stay at the Van Kirk mansion for a while...” The eight year old continued. “I’m a big girl, mommy... and I’m also your best friend so you don’t need to lie to me,”

Fallon ran a hand through her hair and it was simply impossible for her to keep holding the tears as she heard Charlotte’s last sentence. As she finally allowed them to roll down her face, she placed the book on the floor and pushed herself up. Walking towards her eldest daughter, she threw herself on the beanbag and Charlotte almost bounced off it as her side inflated when her mother’s weight fell on the other.

“You don’t kiss, you don’t live in the same house anymore...” Charlotte turned on her side so she could look at her mother face to face, settling both hands under her head. “You only talk to each other because of me an Ollie, mommy. I’ve seen movies... this is what happens before you sign that paper that says you’re both single again,”

“I don’t want to divorce your father, princess,” Fallon confessed. “I knew that already but I hated going to New York by myself... even though it was for work, I hated that I had to go alone even though I could have easily taken you three with me,” she traced her thumb against Charlotte’s cheek. “I love daddy, Charlie. We’re going through some really dark times in our marriage right now but I want to fight for it,” she told her. “Your dad is the best thing that has ever happened to me and believe me when I say I don’t want a divorce, baby girl,”

“You should tell _him_ that, mom,” Charlotte mumbled.

“I will,” she affirmed. “I had a lot of time to think about everything I want to tell your dad during the past couple of days...” Leaning forward, she placed a soft kiss on her daughter’s head before sitting up. “I came here to tell you we have hot dogs downstairs but I believe I’m a lot more interested in that book right now. Will you show me what it is about?”

“It’s about our family, mom,” she informed. “I wanted to make you and daddy happy but now... you and daddy are not happy anymore,” she shrugged. “None of us are happy,”

“If this started as a Christmas project, you clearly invested a lot of your time in it,” Fallon started.

“And money...” Charlotte murmured. “I had to break my piggy bank and I may have used all the money grandma and grandpa gave me for my birthday,”

“Oh my god, Charlie...” Her eyes widened and her jaw fell to the floor.

“It’s not that special anymore. Do whatever you want with it,” she rolled her eyes, reaching for one of her stuffed animals so she could hug it tightly against her chest. “Or just leave it there. Uncle Sam will be here soon to set that on fire,” she added harshly before letting out a rather loud groan as she brought her knees up to her chest. “I’m also not hungry so I think I’m going to take a nap,”

“No one is burning anything and I will let Sam know he won’t be needed here today,” Fallon informed as she bent over to reach for the book. “Your dad is staying for snack time and we will probably put on a movie so come on,” she demanded, making sure she used a soft tone at her clearly upset daughter. “Come on, Charlie, get up,”

“You can eat without me,” she replied. “I’m not in the mood for food right now,”

“Do I need to pick you up and throw you on my shoulder?” She questioned, raising her voice as she was starting to lose her patience.

“I’m your daughter, not a potato sack,” Charlotte groaned, turning to the other side as Fallon settled the book under her arm.

“Are you going to get up on your own or should I do it?” Fallon gave her another chance. “I’m not kidding, Charlotte. I’m going to count to three and if you’re not up, you’re going to be carried downstairs as a potato sack and you’re going to eat all by yourself at one of the corners, with your back to the TV and no seconds, no matter how hungry you are,” she spoke seriously. “One,” she began. “Two,” she paused, giving her daughter one final chance to get up.

“Okay, you win,” the eight year old murmured as she stood up, throwing her stuffed animal on the beanbag before reaching for her mother’s hand. “As always...”

“Is everything okay?” Liam asked, appearing at the door to Charlotte’s bedroom just as they were about to walk out of the room. “I thought you were going to get Charlotte but you disappeared,”

“Well, Miss Ridley here has been hiding this under her bed for months now,” Fallon gestured to the book she was still carrying under her arm. “So we were having a mother and daughter conversation,”

“I took the hot dogs and some drinks to the movie room,” he informed. “I hope Olivia is not feeding them all to Daisy right now but I admit I got a bit worried when you didn’t come back,” he rolled his eyes playfully. “What is that?” He pointed towards the book.

“Nothing important,” Charlotte murmured.

“Apparently, it’s the anniversary gift Charlie was going to give us a couple of weeks ago…” The brunette told him. “She was also going to give it to Sam so he could burn it but since I found out about it, I want to see it,”

“You got us an anniversary gift?” Liam asked surprised.

“I did,” she whispered while staring down at her bare feet.

“She also spent a lot of time and most of her money on it so I really don’t think we should burn this,” Fallon explained.

“You don’t even know what it is…” Charlotte finally looked up, glancing between her mother and father. “You didn’t even bother to open it,”

“I can only guess there are photos inside because you said it was about our family, princess,” she countered. “If it’s about our family and it was supposed to be a gift for me and daddy, it’s only fair that we open it together, don’t you think?”

“I guess,” she shrugged.

“Come on, princess, let’s go eat some hot dogs,” Liam spoke up while reaching for his daughter’s hand, the one that wasn’t holding onto Fallon’s fingers as tight as she could. “Your sister requested we watch Monsters Inc. together,”

 _“Again?”_ Charlotte exclaimed, pausing abruptly as they walked hand in hand towards their private cinema. “We watched that two days ago!” She groaned in complaint.

“Now you know how we feel every time you make us watch Frozen,” Fallon couldn’t hold the snarky comment that left her mouth at her daughter’s complaint, only realizing what she had just said when Liam threw her a disapproving glare.

“Oh, Charlie is going to remember that next time we’re all invited to watch Breakfast at Tiffany’s for the thousandth time,” the eight year old rolled her eyes.

“I guess I should be the one choosing the movie then,” Liam spoke up.

“No Star Wars, for god’s sake,” Fallon murmured.

“Or we could watch all four movies,” Charlotte suggested. “I mean, we’re going to need more than some hot dogs to get through eight hours worth of screen time but…” She looked between them. “Can we do it?”

“ _Four_ movies, princess?” Liam frowned.

“Why not?” She countered. “Do you have anywhere to be tonight?” She asked him.

“I don’t, baby,” he replied instantly.

“Well, it’s settled then,” Charlotte stated. “We’re going to watch everyone’s favorite movie today!” She exclaimed. “We can start with Monsters Inc. since Ollie will probably fall asleep after it ends and Mike is no longer on the screen,” she started as they resumed their walk towards the movie room. “Then we can watch Frozen because I’m the next one in the age scale… then Breakfast at Tiffany’s because mom’s the next one and then Star Wars because daddy is the oldest here,”

“Well, by the time Star Wars starts, it will already be a reasonable time to start on the alcohol,” Liam teased Fallon.

“Please, don’t say that word out loud,” the brunette closed her eyes and swallowed hard as the memories of what had happened in New York only a couple of days back filled her mind.

“Are you okay?” Liam asked, confused.

“Are you sick?” Charlotte asked at the same time, both turning towards her with a frown.

“Let’s just say I’m staying off the booze for a while,” it was all she decided to say before they stepped into their small private cinema.

“Again… are you sick?” Her daughter repeated. “Not even a tiny glass of wine, mommy? That’s… weird,” she added.

“ _Whewe_ did you go?” Olivia looked up from her hot dog when they all walked into the room.

“Did you eat without us?” Liam questioned, noticing everything he had placed on the table was still there, exactly as he had set up.

However, the Mike Wazowski themed plate that he had placed on the table next to where Olivia used to sit was missing three small hot dogs and half of the chips while the Olaf themed plate was on the floor, missing all the food he had already prepared for Charlotte as Daisy licked the ketchup off the plastic.

“Daisy ate _Alie’s_ ,” Olivia informed them, pointing towards the gray bulldog.

“Did you give Daisy your sister’s snack?” Fallon asked the two year old.

“She was _hungy_ , mommy,” she shrugged adorably.

“Now the question is… did she eat her own food or did she give it all to Daisy too?” Charlotte mentioned, bending over to reach for her plate. “Ew, there’s drool all over Olaf,” she groaned while handing her plate to her father.

“What am I supposed to do with that?” He asked.

“Could you wash it for me?”

“I believe that as a big girl, you can wash it yourself?” Liam suggested.

“Fine,” she sighed, “but don’t eat all the hot dogs,”

“I thought you weren’t hungry?” Fallon teased her.

“I’m always hungry,” Charlotte stated. “I will be right back,” she informed before walking out of the room.

* * *

They were halfway through the first movie and Olivia was totally entertained by the monsters talking on the huge screen, sitting lazily on the first row as she drank some orange juice from the funny straw Charlotte had given her.

They had already eaten all of the food Carol had prepared for their afternoon snack and after making a quick trip to the bathroom, Fallon returned to the movie room only to find Charlotte had taken her seat on the second row. The eight year old was leaning over the arms of the seats so she could get closer to her father as he held the black book in his hands.

“Can I sit with you since you stole my seat?” Fallon asked her daughter.

“I’m very comfortable here,” Charlotte murmured, sliding her feet all the way towards the other arm of the seat so she was practically sprawled out on it.

“Seriously?” Fallon rolled her eyes. It didn’t take a genius to know that lying horizontally on that chair, as big and comfortable as it was, didn’t sound like a very good position.

“Yes,” she nodded even though she could barely move her body. “You can sit with daddy,”

“I know what you’re doing, Miss Ridley,”

 _“Me?”_ Charlotte looked at her mother. “I’m not doing _anything_ , Mrs. Ridley,”

“You may be smart, little one, but I’m smarter,” Fallon replied, exchanging with a look with her daughter as the eight year old blushed and giggled softly.

Liam raised the book off his lap and scooted to the right so Fallon could take the rest of the seat but since her daughter had already put her in that situation, she decided to at least get the best of it. Therefore, she purposefully sat on Liam’s legs, waiting for him to adjust as she snuggled against him. He didn’t say anything, much to her surprise, but wrapped his arms around her stomach before settling the book between them and Charlotte, so they could all look at it together.

Involuntarily and without even noticing it, Fallon leaned back against him, settling her head in the crook of his neck while Liam not only tightened his embrace but also closed his eyes when he turned his face towards her and the familiar smell of Fallon’s shampoo filled his nostrils.

“Open it,” Fallon whispered.

Turning the black cover carefully to the left, they were met with a painted first page that immediately reminded them of the clear sand they used to see at their favorite beaches. There were some traces of golden paint and even some golden glitter all over the page but the most important part was what was written on the center.

[ **THE RIDLEY’S** ](https://fallon-carrington-ridley.tumblr.com/post/623542152976269313/the-ridleys-scrapbook-by-charlotte-grace-ridley)

**by Charlotte Grace Ridley**

“Did you write a book about us?” Liam asked his daughter.

“It’s not exactly a book, daddy,” she told him. “I can’t write like you,”

Fallon reached for the book and turned the page, revealing another painted page but in a different color. The second one was leaning towards a pink tone and had all of their names written on it, resembling a family tree but leaving out any family member that wasn’t the four of them and Daisy, of course.

Charlotte had written her father’s birth name but there was a black line over the name, followed by the words “Liam Ridley” written right under it before connecting his current name to her mother’s name with a heart. At the bottom of the small black heart, there was an arrow that pointed to the name of his girls and last, but not least, the name of their beloved bulldog. At the bottom right of the page, she had drew all of them as a stick figure family and they couldn’t help but notice Fallon and Liam were holding hands in the drawing.

“I wanted to draw our family tree,” Charlotte mentioned, “but then I realized daddy is the first Ridley,” she paused. “So I had to start our family tree with you two otherwise I wouldn’t be able to call this book The Ridley’s,” she informed. “It would have to be the Carrington, Lowden, Van Kirk and Ridley story or something like that… too many names, too many families and _way_ too much drama,” she rolled her eyes playfully.

“I think this is perfect, princess,” Liam giggled.

“You do?” She asked.

“I like that we’re the first Ridley’s,” Fallon smiled. “It gave us a chance to build something we are actually proud off,” she added. “I also loved your drawing, baby girl,”

“Well, I’m clearly not very good at arts either...” Charlotte shrugged. “It’s a shame I couldn’t exactly do this with numbers. Believe me, I _tried_ , but it didn’t work, obviously,” she sighed in frustration.

“I think it’s pretty,” she told her. “Just what I would expect from an eight year old,”

“Keep going,” she encouraged them, finally getting excited about the thought of her parents seeing it after being so adamant about burning it.

“Oh my god,” Fallon’s hand flew to her mouth when Liam turned the page and they were immediately taken to that night outside of City Hall.

“It’s a copy, don’t worry,” the little girl spoke right away.

“It’s not that,” she shook her head, fighting against the tears that were starting to come back as her thumb traced the heart stickers on the page.

“It’s a scrapbook,” Liam mentioned.

“Yeah,” Charlotte replied.

“Would you read it for us?” He asked. “I see you’ve written down some comments about the photo,”

“I did,” she giggled. “Okay, so this is how you and mommy met,” she started. “The only thing I don’t get is how you got married on the _same_ day you met,”

“It’s a long story,” Fallon and Liam spoke at the same time, glancing at each other for a fraction of a second before they both turned back towards the scrapbook.

“That movie is still on,” Charlotte pointed towards the screen. “I have time,”

“We will tell you about that some other time, princess,” her mother responded. “Can we turn the page?” She nodded.

“Look how young we are in these, oh my god,” Liam raised the scrapbook so he could take a closer look at the photos they had taken at Sam and Steven’s wedding. “I admit I don’t even remember taking these,”

“I love how pretty you look when you’re in a red dress, mom,” Charlotte offered her mother a smile. “Uncle Sam didn’t want to tell me a lot about this day but he told me daddy came all the way back to Atlanta to tell you that he loved you, mommy,”

“He did, yeah,” Fallon turned her head slightly towards Liam, who replied with a soft yet shy smirk.

“Now... if you’re supposed to marry the person you love,” the eight year old began. “Why did dad go back to New York if you were married and why would he tell you he loved you _after_ the wedding?” She frowned.

“Because your mother was desperate and she paid me to marry her,” Liam finally admitted, laughing when his daughter’s jaw fell open. “I agreed to help her but as we became friends, I ended up falling for mommy,”

“You paid daddy to marry you?!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“Shh,” Olivia turned her head towards her sister and raised her index finger to her lips. “Mike’s talking,”

“That makes no sense...” The young brunette shook her head.

“Let’s continue, shall we?” Liam turned the page in an attempt of changing the subject of their conversation.

“New York...” Fallon murmured, recognizing right away the photos they had taken at the airport before they flew to New York to meet with the Van Kirk’s.

Charlotte had gotten the selfie that Fallon had taken in the car but the other two photos on the page were of both of them standing in front of the jet. In the first one, they were smiling while showing the camera the middle fingers but in the other one, they were posing with serious faces.

 _“Just a powerful couple playing tennis...”_ Liam read the note Charlotte had written on the top of the next page.

“You two look adorable in those tennis’ outfits,” Charlotte told them. “I wonder how scary it was to play at grandma’s house,”

“It was _very_ scary, princess,” Fallon confessed. “Actually, it was the first time I met your grandmother and let’s just say it wasn’t exactly an easy day,”

“This is one of my favorite photos of us,” Liam turned towards Fallon, tracing one of the small photos with his fingers.

Fallon was wearing her large blue hat and had one hand under her chin as she snapped a photo of them. Liam was smiling brightly a couple of feet behind her and while it reminded them of a complicated and messy time, it also brought them great memories about all the good things that had happened between them during their stay at the Van Kirk mansion.

“I love that one too,” Fallon smiled, not even realizing how long she spent staring deeply into his blue eyes.

“Oh my god!” Fallon and Liam both exclaimed when they turned the page, reaching a dark one with only one photo on it. It covered the entire page and there was a few splashes of white paint outlining it as if to frame the picture.

“Charlotte!” It was all that Fallon could mutter.

“Princess, where did you get this photo?” Liam asked, glancing between his daughter and the large photo of him and Fallon kissing right after the divorce party’s speech.

“Uncle Sam told me you two threw a divorce party when you ended your first marriage,” Charlotte pushed herself up so she could sit properly on the large chair. “I realized he wasn’t going to give me a lot to work with but he did let it slip that the party happened at Club Colby so I called Aunt Monica,” she explained. “I told her I was making you and mommy a surprise and she was kind enough to send me the security footage from that night,” she told them, as if it obvious. “It was a cute speech, daddy,” she giggled.

“You _watched_ it?” Fallon turned the page when she noticed the next one was also a black one.

“Of course I did, mommy,” she shrugged. “I had to screenshot the video to get those photos,” she pointed at the scrapbook.

“Oh god,” Fallon gasped when she laid her eyes on the two other photos Charlotte had selected from that night. She was staring at him in the first one but in the main and bigger photo of the page, she was kissing Liam, her hand gently gripping onto his hair.

“Why didn’t you say anything to daddy, mom?” She asked. “You were clearly in love with him!”

“It was complicated, princess,” she told her. “More than you can even imagine...”

“You got married the day you met each other but daddy only told you he loved you after you were already married,” Charlotte rambled. “Then you threw a divorce party because your marriage didn’t make any sense to start with so you had to get a divorce,” she rolled her eyes. “And then... daddy makes a beautiful speech about how he will never have chemistry with anyone else again like he has with you and you couldn’t say anything, mommy?” She questioned. “Daddy, how on Earth did you write an entire book about that when _nothing_ even makes sense in that story?” She shrugged. “Were you two in love or not? Because I’m very confused here...”

“Daddy was in love with me at that time but I wasn’t exactly sure I was in love with daddy as well, Charlie,” Fallon paused, searching for the right words as she tried to decide on what she actually wanted their eight year old to know. “I was dating someone else and I was very confused too, princess. Daddy was really nice to me and he treated me like a queen but I thought I was in love with someone else. I kissed him because I’m not as good with words as he is and I thought that would be enough for him,” she explained. “I noticed something was different though... when it came to daddy, but as I said it, I was involved with someone else and it was already very wrong of me to kiss another man,”

“Even if it was daddy?” Charlotte asked.

“Even if it was me, princess,” Liam answered, stepping in. “When you’re with someone, it’s not right to kiss someone else, remember?”

“I know, daddy, but mommy loved you,” she countered.

“Sometimes that happens, Charlotte. It’s not ideal but it _can_ happen. The important thing to know is that if you ever fall in love with somebody else when you’re in a relationship, you have to break up in order to start a new one,” he ran a hand through her hair, rubbing his thumb softly against her cheek. “You might hurt the person you’re with but nothing hurts someone more than to be betrayed by the person they love the most. Most of the time we can’t really control our hearts but we have to always remember that we’re all humans and we have feelings,” he continued. “Mommy was torn because while she was in a relationship, she was starting to feel something different for me...”

“Did you break up, mom?” She looked up at Fallon.

“Yes, baby,” Fallon nodded. It wasn’t exactly the truth but it wasn’t exactly a lie either, but the last thing they wanted was to get into too many details with Charlotte about that time. “Mommy ended her relationship but daddy and I decided to stay apart as well,”

“Why?” Charlotte’s tone was low and she pouted, clearly upset and unsatisfied with her mother’s answer.

“It was for the best, princess,” Liam replied.

Fallon had reached for one end of the scrapbook and his right hand had eventually fallen to her lap, sliding closer and closer to her stomach as they turned the large pages. As they told Charlotte about the divorce party, Liam couldn’t help but tighten his grip around her, pulling her back against his body as much as he could until there was no distance left between them. He knew he was on the verge of losing her again and bringing all those heart breaking memories from their past was definitely not helping. He couldn’t know for sure what was going to happen to them but he could at least hope that, for a moment, holding Fallon like that, close and tight against his chest, would be enough.

“I wasn’t ready, baby,” Fallon spoke up, leaning her head against Liam’s as her left hand touched the tip of his fingers gently. He was holding the other end of the book with his left hand and only managed to take his right one off Fallon’s waist to lock his fingers around her teasing ones.

“Ready for what?” Charlotte questioned, letting her eyes fall to her parents’ joined hands.

“Mommy was broken and sometimes it’s important for a person to need some time alone,” she explained. “Sometimes we need to understand who we really are to understand exactly what we want out of a relationship or even out of life, to be honest,”

“Is that why you’re not living together anymore?” She asked. “Because you’re both broken?”

“Yes, princess, something like that,” Liam told her. “It’s a bit more complicated now because it’s not just me and mommy anymore... you and Olivia are more important than anything else in this world and your happiness will always be our top priority,” he spoke softly. “Sometimes it’ll come even before our _own_ happiness because we love you two more than anything,”

“What you all doing?” The two year old’s voice echoed around them and the three pairs of blue eyes turned immediately towards her. She was standing in front of Charlotte, trying to boost Daisy up on her big sister’s seat.

“Looking at the scrapbook Charlie made, pumpkin,” Fallon answered her. “Would you like to join us?”

“I’m _tiwed_ ,” Olivia told her mother, climbing on the seat herself as Daisy snuggled between Charlotte and the arm of the chair.

“Well, guess it’s Frozen time!” Charlotte exclaimed when she realized the credits were already rolling on the screen, which also explained why Olivia had finally left her seat to engage in their conversation. “You can sleep with me, Ollie,” she told her sister as she helped her sit between her legs. “I’m not as comfortable as mommy and daddy but I can reassure you I’m a lot more fun,” she wrapped her arms around Olivia after hitting play on her favorite movie and it took the baby girl only a minute to turn slightly on her side, settling both hands between her cheek and Charlotte’s chest as her eyes started to close. “I told you she was going to fall asleep as soon as Mike disappeared,” she whispered at her parents.

“Let’s see what else you put in here,” Liam turned the page, deciding it would be best for everyone if they stopped talking about the divorce party. “Oh, the masquerade ball,” he smiled.

“Uncle Sam had so many photos from that night, you have no idea,” she rolled her eyes playfully. “I had to look through a thousand selfies and random photos just to find the one I liked the most... turns out in between his endless selfies, Uncle Sam managed to capture some shots of you two dancing,” she explained, gesturing to the photo on the center of the page with her head. “This one I found on TMZ,” she gently removed one of her arms from around Olivia’s body and used her index finger to point to the black and white photo on the bottom right of the page. “Uncle Sam didn’t allow me to read the full article but I begged and begged until he let me at least have the photo,”

“You shouldn’t be checking gossip websites, princess,” Fallon chuckled. “Specially when it’s about your parents,”

“Well, then you’re not going to like the next page,” Charlotte let go of Olivia completely and covered her face with both her hands as the two year old slept soundly against her chest.

“Oh my god. What did you even find, Charlotte?” Liam turned towards his daughter as Fallon turned to the next page.

“Aww, this is _definitely_ one of my favorites,” Fallon told Liam as she traced her thumb across the photo the paparazzi had taken of them at Fallon Unlimited’s launch party. The night Liam had showed up unannounced, in the middle of the crowd, professing his love for her as he named her favorite things. Favorite color, favorite flowers and even favorite drink, showing her that his memories were back and that he remembered exactly how much he loved her.

“Let me see this,” Liam let go of Fallon’s hand so he could take a closer look at the tiny words she had written on the left side of the page.

Besides the photo of them kissing at the party, Charlotte had also put pictures of one of their pool days at the Carrington manor. There was a small one on the bottom, a selfie Fallon had taken of herself, wearing her favorite square shaped sunglasses and running a hand through her hair. Above that one, Charlotte had chosen a photo of the two of them, Fallon in the same bikini she wore in her selfie and Liam wearing nothing but boy shorts.

 _“Now I know why I’m so pretty,”_ he read what Charlotte had written as a side note to the pool photos. “How do even come up with these sentences, Charlie?” He couldn’t help but laugh.

“Mommy is the prettiest woman I’ve ever known and you’re very handsome, daddy! Of course I would look this good,” she told him. “Keep going!” She encouraged them. “You’re getting to one of my favorite pages!”

“London...” Fallon murmured, recognizing the two photos she had taken of herself the day they flew to London, both of them with the same wish to propose to each other at some point during their trip. “Where did you even get all of these photos, princess?” She questioned.

“They are all in your laptop, mom,” Charlotte replied nonchalantly. “On a folder labeled My Family,” she described. “There were so many folders in there but I managed to go through them all in order to choose the best photos,” she explained.

“ _All_ of them?” The brunette’s eyes widened in shock as she thought of the photos that she kept in her MacBook that were most certainly not child appropriate.

“I mean, not _all_ of them because some of them were password protected,” she shrugged. “I tried literally everything but nothing worked so I just gave up. It wasn’t hard to figure out your laptop password was _charlotteolivia_ , no space and no capital letters so I didn’t think those would be so hard...” She explained. “What do you have in there, mom?”

“Photos from my child and teenage years that I don’t want anyone seeing,” Fallon lied. There was simply no possible way to tell their eight year old daughter that most of them were filled with sexy and even naked pictures of her and Liam.

“I doubt you looked ugly,” Charlotte rolled her eyes.

“Oh my god,” Fallon exclaimed when Liam turned the next page, revealing one of the most beautiful and perfectly designed pages.

Charlotte had put three vertical photos on it, one next to the other and they were covering the entire page in different tones of red, white and even black. The first photo, from left to right, was of Fallon standing in front of one of the wall of roses Liam had set up for his proposal. The one in the middle had only Fallon’s hands, resting on her thighs as she displayed her rings but most importantly, the peach diamond engagement ring Liam had slid onto her finger only a couple of hours before that picture was taken. The third and Fallon was consisted mostly of roses, from one of the bouquets Fallon had taken in her hands so Liam could snap some photos of her carrying it, pretending to be a bride walking down the aisle.

“That page is probably the one that took me the longest but it’s my favorite,” Charlotte told them.

“It’s so beautiful,” Fallon spoke softly. “That whole moment was a dream,” she turned towards Liam, offering him a shy smile as her cheeks blushed.

“Turn! Turn!” The eight year old continued, wrapping her arms around Olivia so she could change her sister into a better position against her body.

“Of course you made an entire page just for mommy in the red dress,” Liam chuckled.

“It’s a Dolce & Gabbana Tulle Midi Dress and it is the most beautiful dress mommy has ever worn, daddy!” Charlotte told him before placing a kiss on the top of Olivia’s head. “I liked the bride one but this dress is simply perfect and flawless! Not to mention that mommy looks like a true queen in it,”

“You’ve been obsessed about this dress for quite some years now,” Fallon mentioned.

“I love that dress! I wish I was big enough to wear it but I still need to grow a lot to fit into that dress,” she murmured in complaint. “I hope fashion doesn’t change too much in the next decade because if I don’t wear that dress I’m going to die,” she added dramatically. “The domino hard clutch bag you gave me is sitting in my closet, perfectly safe behind a see through glass, away from all the dirt and possible intruders, just waiting for the moment I’m going to wear that dress,”

“I gave you that bag six years ago and you never took it out of your closet,” Fallon countered.

“That’s what happens when you give a fancy party bag to a two year old,” Liam rolled his eyes playfully.

“I’m waiting for the right moment! I can’t wear that with ordinary clothes,” she groaned in frustration.

“Please, Miss Ridley, name _one_ piece in your closet that is ordinary,” he requested.

“Okay, you got me,” Charlotte admitted. “They’re not ordinary but they don’t come even close to mommy’s dress! You saw her wearing it, daddy! You know how perfect it is!”

“We even got you a replica of that dress, princess,” Liam continued.

“When I was two years old! Even Ollie grew out of it, daddy,” she complained. “Besides, she didn’t even like it because she said she looked like a huge red mushroom!” She glanced at her baby sister, still sound asleep against her chest, shaking her head at the words the two year old had used to describe the dress. “Who even says that? So I had to interfere and I carefully hung that back in my closet... maybe I can give it to my daughter one day since my sister doesn’t seem know the difference between Dolce & Gabbana and a mushroom,”

“She’s two, Charlie,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh.

“I was on top of my game when I was two, daddy. I’m sure you remember that,” Charlotte replied. “But how will she learn if you don’t let me and mommy read Vogue to Ollie before she goes to bed?” She questioned. “I’m sure she’s learned that the duck goes _quack quack_ and the cow goes _moo_ by now,” she shrugged, replaying the sounds of the animals’ book he used to read to Olivia every night. “It’s time we teach her about the important things this world has to offer,”

“Can we see the next page?” Fallon spoke up before that father and daughter discussion about a dress got out of control.

“Aww,” Fallon muttered, leaning her head back against Liam’s once she laid her eyes on the four photos from their engagement party.

“Let me guess...” Liam began. “Uncle Sam gave you the security footage from La Mirage from that day,”

“That’s correct,” Charlotte nodded in agreement.

On the top of the page, Charlotte had placed a photo of them during the speech as they both tried to speak at the same time. The other top photo had Fallon holding the microphone with both hands while Liam finally managed to say something, her head leaning against his and their foreheads touching exactly as they were doing while looking through Charlotte’s scrapbook.

On the bottom of the page, the eight year old had captured a moment of Fallon gazing at Liam with loving eyes while she told everyone in that room how he was the love of her life. For the last photo of the page, she captured the exact moment Liam pressed his lips against hers, pulling her in for a caring yet desperate kiss. Right next to it, on the black page, Charlotte had drawn a few hearts but what really caught their attention were the words written in white ink. **_Future Mr. & Mrs. Ridley._**

* * *

Frozen was just about to end when Olivia started crying. She had been sleeping for almost two hours in not exactly the most comfortable position so Fallon got back on her feet so she could get her daughter.

“That’s good for a nap, pumpkin,” she whispered, placing Olivia against her chest as she walked slowly around the room. “Are you hungry?” The two year old shook her head. “Do you want to go to the bathroom?” She shook her head again.

“Sleep,” Olivia murmured.

“No, baby, that’s enough,” Fallon told her. “Otherwise you won’t fall asleep at bedtime. You weren’t even supposed to sleep for more than one hour but I guess we all got kind of distracted,”

“This scrapbook is so special, princess,” Liam ran a hand through Charlotte’s hair. They had just reached the photos from the day Olivia was born as they lost track of time discussing most of the photos the eight year old had chosen for their family book.

“Everything is beautiful, Charlie,” Fallon spoke up, settling Olivia against the side of her body. “The photos, the drawings, the notes... it tells the story of our family really well, princess,”

“Your mom’s right, baby. I wonder why you wanted to burn it instead of showing it to us?” He asked.

“Because you’re not happy with each other anymore and it didn’t feel like you would enjoy seeing this,” she whispered, her tone so low they could barely hear her.

“Mommy and daddy fighting,” Olivia laid her head on Fallon’s shoulder. As tired as she was from her nap, her bright blue eyes were still wide open, staring up at her mother as she wrapped her tiny arm around her neck. “That’s not nice,” she added while swiftly shaking her head from left to right.

“Besides, I didn’t even finish it,” Charlotte glanced between them.

“Just knowing that you went through all the trouble of making such a thoughtful and amazing gift is enough, princess,” Fallon approached her eldest daughter. “Even though Uncle Sam helped you, it’s clear that you did most of it yourself. We’ve been looking at it for what? Three hours now?” She wondered since the Frozen credits were currently rolling on the large screen behind her. “We got a bit distracted with some of the photos and the stories behind them but you’ve done so much, Charlie...” She still couldn’t quite believe her eight year old had not only had such an idea but had also executed it perfectly. “I can’t wait to see the rest of it, baby, but I can tell you for sure that mommy _loved_ it,”

“I love it too, Charlotte,” Liam couldn’t resist throwing Fallon a smile before turning his attention back towards his daughter. “However, it’s getting late,” he mentioned while standing up from his seat.

“It’s not late!” Charlotte jumped off her seat, trying to stop her father from possibly leaving. “It’s only...” She paused, reaching for one of their phones so she could check the time. “Come on, it’s not even eight!”

“It’s time to start getting you and Olivia ready for bed, princess,” he explained. “You still need a shower and something to eat,”

“I thought we were watching four movies tonight,” the eight year old shrugged.

“Frozen was on and you barely paid attention to it, Charlie,” Fallon placed a hand on her shoulder. “What do you say we fill mom’s bathtub and you two take a bubble bath together?”

“You need to finish the scrapbook,” she reminded them.

“We will, baby, we will,” Liam replied. “But right now we want you to start getting ready for bed,” his tone was serious.

“I say yes to big bathtub!” Olivia exclaimed.

“Why don’t you grab a few toys so we can put in the tub?” Fallon suggested, bending over so she could place the two year old on her feet. “I think Liv’s bathrobe is in your bathroom, Charlie. Can you check for me?”

“Yeah,” Charlotte nodded, taking her sister’s hand in hers. “Come on, Ollie. Mommy just allowed us to _fill_ the bathtub with toys!” She giggled.

“Toys!” Olivia threw her free hand up in the air, jumping up and down in excitement as they walked out of the movie room. “I want the duck,” she began, “the _fwog_ ,” she paused. “Oh and the dolphin!” She told her sister. “Can we get my _floatie_ too?”

“Of course, Ollie,” Charlotte replied. “We can get _everything_ we want because their bathtub is huge!”

“I said a _few_ toys!” Fallon screamed but they were already heading down the hallway towards the stairs. “Careful with your sister on the stairs, Charlotte!” She added. “Oh god, what did I even suggest?” She groaned, running a hand through her own hair as she could already picture the mountain of toys they were going to throw inside the tub.

“Would you like me to fix them some dinner before I go?” Liam took a step towards Fallon, staring deeply into her eyes as he noticed a small gasp escaping her lips at his proximity. “Perhaps some chicken soup since it’s too late for a heavy meal,”

“I don’t want you to go,” she whispered in such a low tone that even standing only a feet away from her, he still had trouble hearing her words.

“What?”

“That freaking scrapbook made me realize that I don’t want you to go, Liam,” Fallon spoke up. “I mean, I realized in New York that I don’t want to live without you but now I keep having these flashbacks about all these years we’ve been together and I’m one hundred percent sure that I don’t want to live without you,” she admitted.

“What happened in New York, Fallon?” Liam asked. “You came back a day earlier even though you had a very important meeting... you’re avoiding alcohol at all costs when normally you would be drowning your feelings in them,” he sighed. “You kept touching me when you were sitting on my legs but even though your body was glued to mine, you still managed to keep your distance somehow,”

“I love you, Liam,” she blurted out. “I know I’ve said horrible things to you and I really don’t blame you for saying them all back in the heat of the moment. Ever since our marriage started falling apart, I’ve been wondering what the hell happened to us because yeah, we’re both pretty messed up but we’ve been together for eleven years and nothing like this has ever happened,” she explained. “We had our fights but they’ve never reached this point. What scares me the most is that I’ve never even _questioned_ my love for you, Liam. Not once. And that scares me because I don’t know what the hell is wrong with us when I’m still completely in love with you,” she ran her hand over her eyes in an attempt of getting rid of the tears before they could even leave her eyes.

“I don’t know what happened either, Fallon,” he began. “Believe me, I wish I knew but it seems like we can’t have a proper conversation without fighting,”

“We promised each other we wouldn’t allow ourselves to become our parents,” she cried. “We promised each other our girls would never live in the same environment we both lived when we were growing up and look at us now,” she gestured between them. “Olivia might not understand much but Charlotte’s probably even more miserable than I am,”

“What do you want, Fallon?” Liam asked. “You say you want me to stay and you say you love me but you’re pretty much rambling, to be honest,” he told her. “I’ve said this before and I will repeat it as many times as it’s necessary but I don’t want you to be in a position to choose something that’s clearly going to make you uncomfortable and unhappy, Fallon,”

“I got wasted in New York,” Fallon confessed and it wasn’t exactly a surprise when she suddenly felt the weight on her shoulders disappearing. “I don’t even remember the last time I drank that much and I did something that I regret so much, Liam...”

“Oh my god,” he turned around, running a hand nervously through his hair as it became more painful to look at her as the words left her mouth. “Did you,” he paused, unsure he could even speak those words out loud. “Did you meet someone, Fallon? And by meet I mean,”

“NO!” Fallon screamed, shaking her head in desperation and cutting him mid sentence before he could say what was going through his mind. “Oh my god, Liam! No!” She touched his shoulder, hoping the soft touch would be enough for him to turn around and face her. “I would _never_ do such thing. We may not be in good terms right now but I would never do that. Not even drunk, Liam, and I really hope you know that,”

“I do,” Liam muttered. “I know, I do,” he rambled. “I just... it crossed my mind and I had to ask,” he shrugged.

“I called Harold and asked him to file for divorce, Liam,” she told him. “He called me the next morning to ask me about the specifics and as I sobered up, I started to realize that I only did that because I’m so freaking unhappy and tired of this whole mess, Liam. It was in no way because I don’t love you anymore and it made me realize that we can’t keep living like this,” she continued. “We’re both miserable and we’re hurting the girls by living like this, which is why I’ve been practicing every single speech I could think of to ask you for another chance,”

“You were going to file for divorce, Fallon?” His eyes widened.

“I regretted that as soon as Harold told me about it, Liam!” Fallon exclaimed. “I was throwing up like crazy and I don’t even remember what happened that night but what I do know is that I don’t want a divorce,” her tone was serious. “I want us to work, Liam. I want to be your wife again, not your ex or simply the mother of your children... I want us to be the Fallon and Liam we used to be. The Fallon and Liam we were for a decade,” she admitted. “I’m raising a white flag here, Liam, and you have every right to accept it or not but we need to decide what we’re going to do because this is not working anymore. We’ve had our time to think and evaluate our relationship but I can’t do this anymore, Liam. I’m sorry,”

The tears kept falling and Fallon couldn’t even see properly anymore. Liam was barely looking at her and the whole room was a blur in front of her as the tears fought to roll down her cheeks, even against her will. She had been trying to keep her composure while talking to him but deep down, it was killing her to tell out loud that they needed to decide on a way out. Whether it was for the worst or the best, they needed to decide on something before they ended up destroying the good that was still left in them.

“Come here,” it was all Liam managed to say, taking a step forward until there was no longer any distance between.

Wrapping his arms around her small and broken frame, he enveloped her in the tightest hug. It was a kind of touch that they hadn’t shared in almost two months and while it felt slightly awkward at first, they couldn’t help but feel like that was exactly what they needed at that moment. One of his hands flew to the back of her head, playing gently with her hair as Fallon wrapped her arms around his lower back and pulled him as close as possible to her.

“I don’t want to lose you,” Fallon murmured while resting her head against his chest, taking advantage of their height difference as they were both barefoot.

“I don’t want to lose you either,” Liam spoke softly. “I agree that we need to decide on something for once and for all but the last thing I want is a divorce, Fallon,”

“Do you think we can try again?” She asked. “I promise to control my crazy and insane temper,”

“It’s so weird that even after all these years together, we still have so much to learn,” he mentioned.

“I think one of the reasons why that scrapbook is so perfect is because it shows how much we’ve grown over the past decade,” Fallon took her head off his shoulder and looked at him, focusing on his teary blue eyes as she talked. “We had our share of drama back when we were dating, we went through hell as a couple when we found out we were going to have Charlotte...” She began. “Then we had to learn how to be parents and it definitely wasn’t easy to raise a girl with such a strong personality like Charlie while we focused on work and our marriage,” she told him. “We managed to live through all of that and I think it made us stronger. We agreed to have another baby because we didn’t want Charlotte to be an only child but also because we wanted to go through the baby part again and it also felt right,” she continued. “For weeks, I’ve been trying to understand what happened to us and I guess we thought baby number two would be easier,”

“Except that it wasn’t,” Liam finished her sentence, taking one hand to her face so he could reach for the tear that had just escaped her eyes, tracing his thumb delicately over her cheek.

“No,” Fallon shook her head. “It only got harder with Olivia refusing to eat and turning our lives upside down completely and somehow we lost our way,” she shrugged. “I can’t really tell exactly what happened but it’s like everything that doesn’t turn out the way we want becomes a reason for us to explode, say things we don’t really mean and even treat each other badly,”

“Olivia is the sweetest baby girl, Liam. I hate saying this but it’s so hard for me,” she admitted. “She’s my daughter and I love her with all of my heart and I only want what’s best for her. Why do I lose my patience so fast when she refuses to eat? Why can’t I just relax and keep trying? Why do I need to lash out on you or even worst... on them?”

“Because this throws you out of your comfort zone completely, Fallon,” he replied. “You’re used to your mini me running around you like a shadow. You’re used to a daughter that does everything you do, dresses like you and speaks exactly the way you speak, Fallon. Charlotte may be a handful but for you, she’s easy to handle, in a way, because she’s you, Fallon!” He exclaimed. “She’s literally a tiny version of you so you know how to handle her. You know how to talk to her, you know how to be soft and do the things she loves and you know exactly how to talk to her when you need to call her out or something, teach her a lesson or even be the though parent,” he explained. “Olivia is the exact opposite and she always has been. She lives in her own world and she’s a lot calmer than Charlotte. She doesn’t really care for some specific things like you and Charlie... she may only be two years old but she is the kind of person that doesn’t plan her whole life and just lives day by day,”

“That’s exactly the point, Liam. Olivia is you through and through and somehow I can’t understand how she works,” she told him. “Do you have any idea of how that breaks me?”

“I know, Fallon,” Liam nodded. “To be honest, that’s how I feel with Charlotte most of the time but I learned how to be her dad just like I learned how to be your boyfriend and husband,” he spoke softly. “You’re an incredible mother, Fallon, to both of them. You just need to have patience with Olivia because she’s calm and relaxed and she’s definitely not in a hurry to rule the world like you and Charlie,” he chuckled, glad to finally see a smile on her lips.

“I’m sorry, Liam. I’m sorry for all the horrible things I said to you,” Fallon apologized while touching his chin. “I want to be better, I swear,”

“You’re so much better than you used to be, Fallon,” he replied. “It’s clear how much you’ve grown since we met and yeah, you’re almost forty and you may think that you know everything by now but you don’t,” he added. “None of us do, in fact, and I’m willing to try again. I want to fight for this marriage and this amazing family we built together,” he offered her a bright smile. “Olivia is not an easy child but we will figure out, okay? We always do, right?”

“I guess,” she shrugged.

“Olivia will be okay, Fallon, and so will we,” Liam reassured her. “It’s not going to be easy and I don’t think we’re going to simply go back to how we were with each other before this whole mess started. It’s most likely going to take us some time but I’m confident we can find our way back,” he leaned forward, placing a gentle and long kiss on her forehead. “We can even talk to a professional if we think it might help us...”

“I’m not doing couples counseling, Liam,” Fallon rolled her eyes.

“We don’t _have_ to,” he countered. “I’m just saying it’s probably something we should at least consider?” He suggested and she could only nod at his question.

“Will you stay?” Her voice was barely a murmur as she looked up at him, her blue eyes meeting his as she stared deeply into them.

“Tonight?” He questioned.

“No, Liam,” she replied. “I want you to come back for good,”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” she nodded, smiling at him before pushing herself on her tiptoes to capture his lips in a passionate and long awaited kiss.

At first, it felt weird to feel each other’s lips against their own after spending all that time fighting and hurting each other. They had never harmed each other physically in any way but most of the times, words would hurt even more than any physical contact. For about a minute, they stood completely still, both of them trying to fully process the agreement they had just reached.

As Fallon’s hand flew to the back of his neck, Liam moved his to her waist, squeezing her body softly while opening his lips slightly. It didn’t take long for Fallon to take advantage of it, sliding her tongue into his inviting mouth as she pulled him harder against her. Tangling her tongue around his, she let out a soft moan and Liam couldn’t resist chuckling at the sound, letting go of her for a couple of seconds only to offer her a smile before leaning in for another kiss.

“As much as I would love to do this all night,” Liam began after breaking their passionate kiss, both slightly out of breath and smiling like fools. “We should probably check on the girls because I’m pretty sure at least half of the playroom is currently inside our bathtub,”

“Or we could just stay here and do what we do best,” Fallon suggested, throwing him a playful wink.

“Aren’t you scared about what may be happening inside our bathroom right now?” He questioned.

“I’m sure Charlie is watching Olivia, Liam,” she replied.

“That’s not really what I’m worried about,” Liam chuckled, reaching for her hand so he could lock their fingers. “Later tonight, okay?” He suggested, throwing her a devious wink that matched perfectly with the sexy smirk on his lips. “Come on,” he murmured before heading towards the door.

“Okay, _now_ I’m worried,”

Fallon’s eyes widened when they walked down the stairs to the second floor and noticed the trail of toys that stared at the playroom’s door and went all the day down the hallway towards the master bedroom. There were blocks of Lego’s and rubber animals all over the floor but they both refused to get down and reach for even one toy because the two girls were definitely going to take care of that mess once their bath was over.

It took them a couple of minutes to reach their bedroom and as soon as they stepped into the large room, they heard the softest and most adorable voice coming from their bathroom.

“Bubbles! Bubbles! Bubbles _evywhewe_!” Olivia sang and they couldn’t help but laugh.

“Oh my god!” Fallon screamed when Liam opened the door to the bathroom, revealing the mess out in the hallway was absolutely nothing compared to what was happening inside their bathroom.

Charlotte and Olivia were both inside the large white bathtub, standing up in the middle of the mountain of bubbles that was probably halfway to the ceiling as they couldn’t see anything but their girl’s faces, as if they were floating in the bubbles.

Their clothes were all scattered all over the bathroom. There was a t-shirt on the floor, pants on the sink, dirty socks lying on the fancy and cream colored carpet and Fallon could only let out a frustration sigh when she noticed the two pairs of Disney underwear thrown over the bottles of perfume she kept on the sink.

“Hi mommy! Hi daddy!” Olivia exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air.

“Ollie!” Charlotte covered her mouth with her hand when she saw the small bucket Olivia was playing with flying across the bathroom along with some water and bubble foam.

“What exactly is happening here, Charlotte?” Fallon asked her eldest daughter.

“We’re having a bubble party!” She replied, running her hand through her wet hair.

“Charlie, how many times do I have to tell you that you can’t fill the tub all the way to the top when Olivia is in there?” Liam asked, taking a couple of steps towards the tub.

“Liam! Be careful!” Fallon screamed when she noticed him stepping on the puddle of soapy water in his socks.

“Don’t _wowy_ , daddy,” the two year old offered him a smile, showing him the Mickey Mouse arm floats on both her arms. “ _Chalie_ kept me safe, daddy,”

“Why does it smell like flowers in here?” The brunette asked.

“Oh,” Charlotte took a step backwards in the bathtub, trying to keep as much distance as possible between her mother and herself.

“Charlotte…” Fallon threw her a serious look.

“Ollie might have dropped your Chanel No. 5 in the tub,” the eight year old murmured.

“What?” She screamed.

“Now we smell good, mommy,” Olivia told her.

“May I ask how you two are planning to clean this up?” Liam gestured around the bathroom.

“ _Chalie_ is doing it,” his youngest daughter informed him. “I’m floating,” she added before throwing herself backwards, her body falling flat against the bubbles behind her.

“Olivia May!” Fallon and Liam screamed, both rushing towards the bathtub as their two year old disappeared in the mountain of bubbles.

“She’s been doing that for almost an hour, guys,” Charlotte told them.

“Hello!” Olivia exclaimed, placing her hands on the edge of the tub and getting her face out of the bubbles so she could open her bright blue eyes.

“I wasn’t going to let her drown,” the eight year old spoke up as Liam reached for Olivia’s arm. “She’s safe in her floats, daddy. If she can swim in our big pool, a bathtub is perfectly okay,” she offered him a smile.

“This is exactly why we can’t leave these two alone,” Liam sighed, shaking his head as he turned towards Fallon.

“Aren’t you going to join us?” Charlotte asked, glancing between her parents.

“I should get down to the kitchen to fix you two some dinner,” he mentioned.

“No _dinney_ ,” Olivia raised her arms and stared at Liam with puppy eyes, begging for her father’s attention. “Mommy and daddy in bubble _pawty_!” She jumped up and down in excitement.

“Don’t jump in the tub, pumpkin,” Liam said seriously, placing one hand on each side of her small body as he picked her up.

“Mom, can daddy stay here tonight?” The younger brunette turned towards her mother. “We can’t have a real party without him,”

“He’s staying, princess,” Fallon smiled. A smile that Charlotte hadn’t seen on her mother lips in _months_.

“What?” Charlotte exclaimed. “You already asked him to stay?” Her jaw fell to the floor and she even took a step backwards at the surprising news, only to step on a toy that was sitting in the bottom of the tub and losing her balance. “Ahh!” She screamed in panic, her hands flying in the air as she slipped.

“Okay, that’s it!” Liam threw himself at the tub and he wasn’t even sure how he had managed to hold Olivia against his body while reaching for Charlotte. Sitting down on the marble edge, he tightened his grip around his youngest’s body while he wrapped his arm around his eldest’s neck, her head leaning back against his elbow as he prevented her from falling and badly injuring herself. “Come on, Charlotte, out of the tub,” he demanded.

“Why?” She pouted.

“Do I really need to answer that?” He asked, staring at her while throwing her his most serious look. “I want you two in the shower right now. We’re getting rid of those bubbles and getting you two cleaned up so you can put on your pajamas,”

“Please, daddy, I’ll be more careful,” Charlotte begged.

“We trusted you to start your bath and keep an eye on Olivia while your mom and I talked but apparently you’ve forgotten every single thing we’ve taught you,” Liam placed Olivia on the floor, setting her on her feet so he could pull Charlotte out of the bathtub. “You two could have gotten seriously injured, Charlotte!”

“Liam...” Fallon murmured, taking one hand to his shoulder in an attempt of calming him down from his sudden panic reaction. “Easy,” she added, her tone barely a whisper.

“That wasn’t my intention, dad,” she spoke softly as she walked towards him, climbing on his legs to wrap her arms around his neck. “I swear,” she added. “Ollie and I were being careful, daddy,” she buried her head against his chest.

“You have to be extra careful when it comes to the tub, princess,” Fallon spoke up, opening the glass doors to turn the shower on.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

“Let’s get you two under that spray, shall we?” Liam suggested, holding her naked body against his chest to control the shivering as the cold air hit her skin. “I’m already wet anyway so I might as well just take a shower with you,”

“Should I just order a pizza?” Fallon turned towards Liam while he helped both girls step into the shower.

“Are you really staying with us tonight, daddy?” Charlotte asked as he took off his clothes to join them. “Because that calls for celebratory pizza!” She exclaimed.

“Pizza! Pizza! Pizza!” Olivia screamed, clapping her hands.

“Oh, so now you want to have dinner, young lady?” Liam teased the two year old.

“I want nutella pizza with _mallows_ ,” she began, “M&M,” she continued, “and Talenti,”

“First of all, that’s not real pizza, Ollie,” Charlotte told her sister. “Let alone dinner!” She shrugged. “We need large pizzas with cheese, tomatoes, pepperoni, more cheese and maybe extra pepperoni too, just to be sure,”

“Yes, princess, I am staying,” Liam offered her a smile before taking Olivia’s hand in his. “Fallon, just order everyone’s favorite,” he asked her. “We shouldn’t take long here and while I really wanted them to eat a healthier dinner after all those hot dogs, I guess we can make an exception tonight,”

“Daddy back?” Olivia looked up at him.

“He’s back, girls,” Fallon replied, smiling as their girls threw themselves at Liam in excitement.

“For good, daddy?” Charlotte questioned as Fallon walked out of the bathroom to search for her phone. She was happy to finally have her husband back but nothing could compare to the feeling of seeing those innocent and excited smiles on her girls’, their eyes shining brightly as they realized their family was going to be complete again.

“Yes, Charlie. Mom and I talked and we’re going to try fixing this mess we made,” he explained. “It’ll probably take a little while for us to get back to the couple we used to be, princess, but I’m coming back home... so we can fix this for once and for all,”

“You’ll figure out,” the eight year old commented. “You’re the best couple ever,” she added and Liam couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Help,” Olivia groaned, pushing herself on her tiptoes and extending her arm as she tried to reach for Fallon’s shampoo.

“That’s mom’s, pumpkin,” Liam informed her. “This one is yours,” he handed her the baby shampoo they kept in there for nights like that, when they decided to take the girls to shower with them.

“I want mommy’s,” she requested.

“Daddy, can you sleep with me tonight?” Charlotte asked softly, holding her palm up for Liam to squeeze some of the cherry scented liquid on it as well after allowing Olivia to use their mother’s fancy shampoo. “You’ve been gone too long, daddy,”

“Sleep with me!” Olivia exclaimed, rubbing one hand against the other before taking them to her head. “Miss you, daddy,” she whispered, spreading the shampoo over her hair exactly like Charlotte was doing.

“Mommy asked me that first,” he teased them.

“We’re more important than mommy,” the eight year old rolled her eyes.

“We _awe_ ,” the youngest Ridley nodded in agreement.

“Oh, are you?” He questioned playfully.

“We are you’re own flesh and blood, daddy,” Charlotte shrugged. “And I guess that beats anything,”

“What do you say we all have a sleepover at mommy and daddy’s bedroom?” Liam suggested. “We can even eat the pizza in bed...” He bent over, whispering at them as if he was telling them a top secret.

“Mommy won’t like that,” Olivia replied.

“I’m sure she won’t mind if you promise to eat _all_ your pizza, Miss Ridley,” he countered, staring deeply into the two year old’s eyes.

“Oh, that sounds like a challenge, Ollie,” Charlotte teased her sister.

“I don’t know,” she shook her head, shrugging.

“I’m sure Ollie can have all the ice cream she wants, right?” She turned towards Liam. “Because daddy is back home and that’s all that really matters tonight!” She exclaimed, offering him her brightest smile as she stepped under the hot spray to wash off the shampoo. “Daddy is finally back!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I'm not going to leave you hanging this time! It was a crazy ride and this specific storyline was definitely a challenge for me. I'm so surprised yet incredibly happy that you all enjoyed it, right from the beginning, even when there was still a chance for a Falliam divorce.
> 
> I might be a little crazy but I just couldn't do that to our babies. I hope you liked this one and how everything is going to be okay... it won't be easy but I'm sure they can do it. And a special thanks to Charlotte, who managed to fix everything up with a scrapbook haha.
> 
> Let me know what you think!!! I'm very excited to hear your opinions!!


	30. Birthday Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... after everything I put you through in the past three chapters, here's a fun one!!

“Stay still, princess,” Liam looked at her through the mirror as he finished tying the bow on Charlotte’s hair. Some of it was pulled backwards, held by the large black bow on the top of her head as its satin ends fell along her brown soft waves.

“Help me,” Charlotte bit her bottom lip as she tried to reach for the make up Fallon had left on the sink.

“That’s mommy’s,” he informed her. “She said you could have this one,” he held the lightest pink lipstick Fallon owned.

“That’s the pink one,” the two year old rolled her eyes and Liam let out a giggle at how much she looked like her mother whenever she did that. “It’s _bowing_ ,” she pouted, well aware of her father’s soft spot for it. She had turned two years old only two months back but she already knew exactly how to get the things she wanted. “Help me,” she repeated, putting her knee on the sink so she could get closer to the make up.

“Hold your horses, princess,” Liam grabbed Charlotte by the waist and settled her back on the plastic stool. “You don’t want to get your dress wet, do you?” He questioned and her eyes widened. She looked down at her blue dress and sighed in relief when she noticed it was still intact. If she had been learning how to trick her parents, even at such a young age, her parents had also been learning how to handle their baby girl. “Now, pink lipstick or no one at all? It’s your choice,”

 _“Wed!”_ Charlotte exclaimed. “Like mommy’s,” she had watched carefully as Fallon did her make up a few minutes back and she just couldn’t take the lipstick her mother had applied on her lips off her mind.

“Well, no one at all it is then,” Liam took her in his arms and walked out of the bathroom.

“Let me go!” She fussed, kicking her legs back and forth as she tried to leave his arms. “I don’t like you!”

Back to the bedroom, Liam sat Charlotte down on the edge of the king sized bed and crouched down in front of her.

“Look at me,” his tone was serious but she did her best to avoid his eyes, focusing entirely on her hands as she tangled one finger around the other nervously. “Charlotte Grace, you look at me,” he insisted, raising his voice until she finally looked up at him. “Is there something you need to tell me after what you just said?” He asked. No answer. “We can stay here all night. I’m sure you will remember it at some point,”

 _“Gandpa’s pawty...”_ Charlotte reminded him.

“We might have to miss that if you’re not going to behave,” Liam told her. “So...”

“Wow!” Charlotte’s eyes sparkled and her jaw fell to the floor when Fallon stepped out of the walk in closet in the most beautiful off the shoulder dark green dress. She had chosen an eloquent diamond necklace with its matching earrings and her hair was loose, falling down her right shoulder while her left one was completely exposed. “You look like a _pwincess_!” She exclaimed.

“Thank you, baby,” Fallon offered her a smile. “What’s wrong?” She asked when she noticed Liam had one hand on her knee in order to keep her still on the bed and Charlotte was on the verge of tears.

“Someone is being stubborn so I guess we will just have to change back into our pajamas and go to sleep,” Liam shrugged, standing up so he could take a few steps towards Fallon.

“No,” Charlotte murmured when her father turned his attention away from her. “I’m _sowy_...”

“Sorry for what, Charlotte?” He requested.

“Saying I don’t like you,” she replied while looking down at the shinny black shoes on her feet.

“What else?” Liam continued.

“ _Scweaming_...” She spoke softly.

“I step into the closet for five minutes to get my jewelry and you two get into an argument?” The brunette looked between them.

“She kept insisting on the damn red lipstick you’re wearing,” he gestured to her mouth.

“Charlie,” Fallon called her, “if your dad says you can’t have something it’s because he knows it’s not right for you so you have to listen to him,”

Sitting down beside her daughter, Fallon wrapped an arm around her small body and pulled her closer to her. Charlotte immediately turned towards Fallon and threw one leg over her mother so she could climb on her body.

“I’m _sowy_ , mama,” Charlotte repeated. “Look like you,” she begged.

“You already look like me, princess,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh at her daughter’s request. “You don’t need a red lipstick for that. Your dad helped you put on your dress, he did your hair and he even gave you this special necklace you’re wearing just for grandpa’s birthday party, didn’t you?” She reached for the thin gold chain around her neck. “You’ve said you’re sorry but I think he would like a little more than that...” She told her. “What do you think?”

Charlotte looked up at her mother, who simply nodded at her when their matching blue eyes met. Jumping off the bed, the two year old ran towards her father and wrapped her arms around his legs so she could hug him as tight as she could.

“I love you, daddy,” she threw her head backwards so she could look up at him.

“Come here, princess,” placing his hands on her waist, Liam picked her up and settled her against the right side of his body.

“You still love me?” Charlotte asked, her tone barely a whisper.

“Of course I love you, baby girl,” Liam tightened his grip on her body. “Sometimes you’re going to make mistakes and mommy and daddy will get angry and be tough on you but that’s because we want to teach you what’s right and wrong... but that doesn’t mean we love you any less,” he explained, placing a soft kiss on her forehead when she wrapped both arms around his neck.

“She’s two, babe,” Fallon chuckled. “She probably didn’t understand a single word you just said,”

“Well, it was worth the shot,” he replied, shrugging as Fallon approached them.

“You’re the best dad Charlotte could ever have, Liam,” she offered him a smile. “But you can’t forget that, in spite of what we teach her and how we raise her, she is still my daughter. It’s in her DNA to drive you crazy with her stubbornness sometimes,” she let out a soft laugh.

“I guess you’re right,” Liam giggled, glancing at the two year old before pulling his wife in for a kiss. “Are you ready?”

“I am, just need to grab my coat,” Fallon ran a hand down their daughter’s back before walking back into the closet. “Did you get Charlie’s?”

“Yeah,” he replied.

“Let’s go then,” she spoke, dressing into the long black coat as she returned to the bedroom.

“ _Lipchick_ , daddy,” Charlotte reminded him.

“What if I share mine with you, princess?” Fallon suggested once she realized that red or pink lipstick conversation would probably take all night.

“ _Wed_ , mama?” Her eyes sparkled in excitement.

“Yes, red like mama’s, princess,” she chuckled, taking a step closer to them so she could give Charlotte a quick peck on the lips, fully aware that her blood red matte lipstick would barely stain the two year old’s mouth.

 _“Mowe!”_ She begged, bouncing against her father’s body.

“More?” Fallon pretended to be surprised. “But your mouth is so red already!” She glanced at Liam, trying to hold the laugh as Charlotte’s lips were clearly their natural color.

“Yes, _mowe_ ,” Charlotte nodded while throwing Fallon her most convincing puppy eyes. “Please, mommy,”

“One more and then we leave, okay?” She suggested before leaning in for another quick kiss.

 _“Pefect!”_ She exclaimed, clapping her hands softly as she snuggled her head in the crook of Liam’s neck. “How do I look, daddy?”

“Like a real princess, baby!” Liam answered with a bright smile.

“ _Mowe pwetty_ than mommy?” Charlotte asked him.

“It’s prettier, Charlie,” he corrected her. “But yeah, I would say you look even prettier than mommy,” he whispered, low enough for the two year old to think he was hiding that statement from Fallon when he clearly was speaking loud enough for her to listen.

“I like that,” she giggled, taking one hand to her mouth as not to spoil their father and daughter’s secret.

* * *

“Dad, I have my own company to run,” Fallon raised the crystal glass to her lips, taking a sip of her whiskey.

Fallon had stopped breastfeeding only six months back, after over two years without drinking a single drop of alcohol, but while she was immensely grateful for being able to provide Charlotte with the best milk, she couldn’t deny how badly she had missed the taste of a good and old whiskey.

“I know you do,” Blake replied right away. “I just think this would be a great opportunity for us to work together again, Fallon. That’s all,” he explained.

“Hi, I’m _Chalie_!” They turned their heads towards the youngest Ridley following the sound of the two year old’s voice as she kept introducing herself to every guest in the party. “You look _pwetty_ ,” she offered the woman in the pink dress.

“Thank you,”

“Will you please just look at the proposal I drafted?” Blake insisted.

“Why are you even telling me this tonight?” Fallon questioned. “It’s your birthday. Shouldn’t you be getting drunk or doing embarrassing speeches?”

“Because you’ve been avoiding me all week,” he shrugged. “Ignoring my calls and even telling your assistant your schedule was way too busy for a meeting with your father,”

“Do you like Olaf?” Charlotte asked, looking up at the younger man by the bar as she tried to get his attention.

“Sorry, I don’t know him,” he replied shortly.

“Hand me a _stwaw_?” Pushing herself on her tiptoes, she placed one hand on the iron bar of one of the empty stools before extending her arm in the direction of the plastic bucket filled with funny straws.

“Where the hell did Liam go?” Fallon murmured, looking around the room in search of her husband, who was supposed to be entertaining Charlotte.

“She’s having fun, Fallon,” Blake mentioned. “You don’t-“ he was just about to tell her there was no reason for her to worry when the man gave her the whole bucket.

“Ops,” the two year old whispered, covering her mouth with her tiny hand while looking around to check if anyone had seen that.

“Okay, maybe you should,” he added, sighing when Charlotte held the small bucket upside down and all the straws fell on her.

“Yeah, I probably should,” she finished her drink in one gulp then set the glass on one of the high tables before heading towards her daughter.

“Fallon?” A not so familiar yet not so strange voice called out, reaching for her arm as she walked through the manor’s living room. “Fallon! Oh my god, is this really you?”

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” Fallon asked, glancing back at the bar to check on Charlotte, only to find all the colorful straws completely forgotten on the marble floor as she walked towards the piano room.

“I’m Edna!” She replied, a bright smile from ear to ear as she squeezed one of Fallon’s cheeks. “My husband and I used to have dinner here almost every week when you were just a little girl,” she said softly. “He was one of your dad’s greatest friends,”

“Hello,” Charlotte exclaimed, her voice echoing around the room as she waved at a couple that Fallon couldn’t exactly recognize.

“Is that baby girl yours?” Edna asked when the young brunette’s attention shifted completely to the two years old in the blue dress.

“She is,”

“I remember when you were that little,” she continued, even though Fallon had no clue of who she was. “Always finding a way to get yourself into some kind of trouble,” she chuckled.

“Hi, sweetie,” the man, who she guessed was about Blake’s age, replied. “Who are you?”

“I’m _Chawotte_ ,” the baby girl began, “ _Gwace_ ,” she paused, “ _Widley_ ,” she finished with a smile. “Who _awe_ you?”

“Oh god,” Fallon could only sigh at her daughter. “Excuse me,” she added softly, offering the woman an apologetic look.

“Go, dear,” Edna nodded. “You’re daughter is adorable,”

“Thank you,” she spoke before walking towards the couple.

“I’m Blake’s _gand_ ,” Charlotte tried, frowning when her tongue wouldn’t allow her to say the word she wanted. “ _Gand_...” She started again.

“Granddaughter,” Fallon stepped in, finishing her sentence. “Is she bothering you? I’m so sorry,”

“No, no,” the woman shook her head.

“She was just introducing herself to us,” the man complemented. “Blake has a couple of photos of her on his desk at the office,” he told Fallon. “It was nice to know the real Charlotte,”

“Well, this one is definitely a chatter box,” Fallon chuckled. “Apparently, she’s all about partying and greeting all the guests now,”

“Nice meeting you too, _Mistey_ Jones!” Charlotte replied.

“Princess, where’s your dad?” She asked, taking a step away from the couple as she reached for one of Charlotte’s hands.

“I don’t know,” she shrugged, moving her shoulders all the way up and holding her free hand up in the air as she threw her mother a puzzled look.

“Did you talk to every guest in this party?”

“Yes, I did, mommy,” she nodded. “I have to be polite,”

“You don’t have to talk to every single one, baby,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh.

“That’s _not_ polite, mommy,” Charlotte countered.

“You’ve talked to your dad already?” Liam asked while approaching them, a porcelain plate in one hand and Charlotte’s pink sippy cup in the other.

“Not exactly,” she replied. “I had to get this one before she bothered all the guests,”

“I’m _pawtying_ , mommy!” The two year old explained, shaking her body and moving her feet on the floor as she tried to dance.

“Mrs. Gunnerson made you a special plate, princess,” he informed her. “Why don’t we go back to the couch so you can eat?” He suggested.

“Catch me, daddy!” Charlotte’s sneaky hand flew to the porcelain plate, stealing one of the salmon nigiri before running away from her parents. “Wow!” She screamed, changing directions when she almost bumped into the waiter that was currently carrying a tray with champagne flutes.

“Whose idea was it to bring a two year old to a fancy birthday party?” Fallon groaned, placing her hand on her forehead as she started to feel a headache taking over her.

“Yours?” Liam frowned. “Because apparently nobody will ever be good enough to be trusted with our baby girl?”

“That’s not true,” she crossed her arms in front of her chest, pouting at her husband before reaching for one sushi from Charlotte’s plate. “I trust Alexis, Anders and well, even Sam once in a while...”

“Alexis is in Dubai and Anders and Sam are both here,” he reminded her. “That works when we want to do something just the two of us but tonight is slightly different, babe. You have to lose that fear about leaving Charlie with a nanny, Fal,”

“I just don’t like it, okay?” Fallon rolled her eyes.

“ _Anothey_ one, please,” they both looked down as the familiar voice returned. “Thank you _vewy_ much,” she spoke softly, taking one sushi in each hand before resuming her run around the living room.

“Charlotte’s a baby, Fal. She draws everyone’s attention to her and they’re all amused by how adorable she is and how much she tries to talk to them,” Liam placed the sippy cup on the plate so he could reach for her face. “She’s having fun and Blake is very excited to have his granddaughter on his birthday and I’m going to say this with all of my heart, babe, but you need to lose that fear,”

“I promise I will try,” she offered him a smile.

“Thank you,” he ran his thumb softly against her chin before leaning in for a quick kiss.

“Oh god!” Fallon broke them apart only a couple of seconds later after hearing a loud thud.

“I’m okay!” Charlotte exclaimed, getting back on her feet after tripping onto someone’s foot and falling on the floor.

“Charlie...” Blake rushed towards the two year old as her parents were currently across the room. “Are you okay?”

 _“Gandpa!”_ She was on the verge of tears but when she held her palms up for him to see, Fallon let go of Liam and immediately ran towards her baby girl. “I smashed my sushi!”

“Princess, what’s wrong?” Fallon asked, her eyes and voice filled with worry as she crouched on the floor to check for any bruises or scratches on her daughter’s body.

“My sushi, mama,” Charlotte cried, letting out a few light hiccups as she showed Fallon the remaining rice on her hands. “They gone,”

“We will get you another one, okay?” Placing her hands on Charlotte’s waist, she lifted her off the floor and settled her against the right side of her body. “Are _you_ okay? Does anything hurt?”

“Yeah,” she murmured, leaning her head against her mother’s shoulder as a yawn escaped her lips. “Lost my salmon though,” she added in a low voice and Fallon couldn’t help but roll her eyes at her comment.

“That’s why you should have sat down on the couch to eat with daddy like he suggested in the first place, Miss Ridley,” Fallon teased her. “Daddy is waiting for you with plenty of food but you have to sit down next to him and eat properly, alright?” The two year old nodded. “You’ve had enough raw fish for one night so let’s focus on the grilled ones, okay?” She asked, trying to deviate her daughter from the Japanese food even though Charlotte had only eaten two pieces so far.

“Okay, mommy,” she mumbled while Fallon kissed the top of her head. “You the boss, mommy,” it was almost a whisper but she could only smile at those words. Charlotte had been adding new words to her vocabulary every day and she had no doubt she had learned those ones from her father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Baby Charlotte at a party? Hell yeah!
> 
> Hope you liked this piece about Miss Ridley having the time of her life at a Carrington party!! Let me know your thoughts about it!!


	31. Mike Wazowski!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday to Ollie!!!!
> 
> Also, let's not forget someone very important too... happy birthday miss heather!

“Fallon, sweetheart!” Alexis exclaimed as soon as she laid her eyes on the brunette, rushing towards her daughter and balancing herself on her high stilettos while walking on grass.

“Hi, mom,” Fallon offered her a smile.

“This place is so beautiful!” She spoke, looking around the wide backyard.

The birthday party was only for twenty people but Fallon and Liam had certainly gone overboard with it as there were Monsters Inc decorations all over the French property. Most of them were already set up but Alexis had promised to arrive one hour earlier in case they needed any help.

The large grass area between the pool and the main house was covered in huge stuffed monsters that Liam had gotten specifically for his youngest daughter’s first birthday. Each monster had a balloon tied to its hand in their matching color and Olivia’s name written on it in bold letters.

As Alexis looked around, she could only chuckle at the twenty feet tall inflatable water slide that ended right at the deep end of the pool. A few feet next to it, there was a large trampoline with balloons tied to the safety net enclosure, all of them in different shades of blue, green and purple to perfectly match the colors of the party.

“Are you okay?” Alexis asked, placing one hand on Fallon’s shoulder when she noticed how unease and irritated she was.

“I promised Liam I wouldn’t freak out,” Fallon murmured, “but the table is still not ready, one of the girls from the kitchen staff we hired almost dropped the cake on the floor and I could swear I still had at least three hours until the party started,”

“Honey, look at me,” she requested. “This place is beautiful. I’m sure Olivia is going to love seeing all these monsters here for her first birthday,”

“AAAAAAHHHHH!” Both women jumped in fright, their feet practically leaving the floor and their hands flying to their chest in total sync when they heard the sharp and loud voice.

“What the hell was that?” Fallon groaned, taking a deep breath before turning her head to her right in search of the noise.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” Charlotte informed before closing the lid of the large yellow tank that was half her size.

“Charlotte, what are you doing?” The brunette asked when she noticed the red wagon with more yellow tanks. Bending over, the six year old placed the one she had just screamed inside, carefully and quickly locking her loud voice inside it, in front of stuffed Randall.

“Giving each monster a scream tank, mom,” she replied as if it was obvious. “I’m also scattering some socks around, if you don’t mind,” she held the small plastic bag filled with white socks up in the air for her mother to see. “It will bring more authenticity to this party when the alarm rings informing we have a 2319!” She exclaimed.

“What alarm, Charlie?” Fallon questioned, rubbing her fingers against her forehead as she felt a headache starting to form.

“Please, hold on for a second,” Charlotte raised her index finger before taking another tank from the wagon. Once the lid was off, she held onto the large yellow object with both hands before leaning her head towards it. “AAAAAAHHHHH!” She screamed again. “Here’s your scream tank, Celia,” she ruffled the female monster’s purple hair. “Don’t bite me! I’m just trying to help!” She exclaimed, teasing one of the stuffed snakes on her head.

“I set up an alarm so Ollie can have a full experience of the movie,” she informed her mother. “Now, if you excuse me, I have more tanks to fill,” she added, parking her red wagon next to stuffed Roz.

“I swear to god if I hear one more-“

“AAAAAAHHHHH!” Fallon barely had a chance to finish her complaint when they heard the six year old let out yet another scream.

“Do you think she knows she doesn’t really have to scream?”

“Of course she knows, dear,” Alexis replied. “It’s Charlotte we’re talking about. Maybe you know her? That little genius of yours?” She chuckled. “What is happening, Fallon?” She asked. “It’s your daughter’s first birthday and you’re miserable. Charlie is not only helping you make this party even more perfect than it already is but she’s also having fun with those tanks,” she explained. “You might be complaining to me now but you’re this close to snapping at your own daughter so... what’s really going on, Fallon? What’s bothering you?”

“Laura called Liam last night,” she admitted without ceremony, going straight to the point since she knew Alexis would only keep searching for a way to get the truth out of her. “She called to let him know she wasn’t coming because something important had come up at VKI, obviously,” she paused, rolling her eyes. “He was really hoping it would be different this time and I don’t think I’ve ever seen Liam this upset, mom. She met Charlotte for the first time when she turned one and now her youngest granddaughter is turning one and she tells her son that she’s not coming?”

“Are you upset like that because of Laura or because you‘re worried about Liam?” She questioned, rubbing her thumb against the soft skin of her daughter’s cheek.

“It was my idea to have her first birthday here,” Fallon confessed. “He kept insisting we did it back in Atlanta but I pushed and I pushed until he eventually gave in,” she slid her hand up her forehead, running it through her long brown strands. “We did a winter wonderland for Charlotte and I wanted Olivia to have the whole summer experience today since she’s our summer girl,”

“And this house looks amazing, Fallon!” Alexis exclaimed. “I’m confident Olivia will love this movie even more than she already does when she sees all these monsters and everything you’ve done for her,”

“I can’t help but ask myself if this is my fault,” she continued. “What if I had agreed to staying in Atlanta? Would Laura even attend the party or would she feed us a lame excuse anyway?”

“Fallon, you arranged for the jet to bring everyone to Europe. I’m here, your father and Sam will be here soon... hell, even Adam and Kirby came to celebrate your baby girl’s first year, sweetheart,” she offered her daughter a smile. “You even sent the jet back to Atlanta to get Molly’s family so your daughter’s best friend could be here too,” she added. “Laura not coming has nothing to do with the location you chose for the party,”

“FALLON!” They turned towards the mansion when they heard Liam’s voice. “Are you busy?” He asked, standing at the balcony of the master bedroom in nothing but pool shorts.

“I will be up in a minute,” Fallon told him.

“Focus on your baby girl, Fallon. She’s the only one that matters today,”

“I will,” she nodded in agreement. “Can you go inside and make sure those people finish the table?”

“Of course,” Alexis replied with a smile. “Are you going to set up food isles out here as well?” She asked.

“No, it’s too hot and the sky is supposed to be clear blue all day long so I figured it would be best to keep all the food and drinks inside,” Fallon responded, pointing to the small house about ten yards from the pool. “I’m pretty sure the adults will prefer the cool air inside anyway,”

It was a place outside of the mansion that they had designed and built specially for parties and events. Most of its walls were made of retractable glass, allowing them to open the room and lead the guests to both the large backyard and the pool but also giving them the opportunity to keep all of them inside on days when the weather was too extreme, whether it was too hot and humid - like that day - or too cold and snowy.

“Go, Fallon, I will take care of it,” Alexis reassured her.

“Princess, come on! You need to get dressed!” Fallon exclaimed while turning around on her heels to check on her daughter. “Charlotte Grace Ridley, what are you doing up there?!” She screamed the moment she realized the six year old had climbed the stepladder and was balancing herself on one foot as she tried to glue a white sock to the tree’s trunk. “Great, I asked Liam to hang the piñatas and not only are they still on the floor but the ladder is there for our curious daughter to climb,” she sighed, her cheeks turning red in both anger and frustration. “Please, make sure we also have enough alcohol otherwise I’m not surviving until the end of this party,” she glanced at Alexis before rushing towards the tree to grab Charlotte.

* * *

“Molly!” Charlotte let go of Fallon’s hand as soon as she spotted her red headed best friend by the pool.

“Charlie!” The six year old screamed back, both girls running towards the other as if they hadn’t seen each other in months. “Mom, dad, everyone came!” She mentioned while giving her best friend one of her tightest hugs.

“Not everyone...” Liam murmured, his voice nothing but a whisper as he watched the steps in front of him.

Olivia was standing between them, one hand locked in Liam’s while the other held onto Fallon’s tightly so they could walk down the stairs that led the mansion to the backyard.

“Babe,” Fallon began.

“I’m sorry, I’m not going to ruin her party,” he offered her a reassuring smile. “Today is all about you, pumpkin!”

 _“Pawty!”_ Olivia exclaimed, jumping up and down in excitement when she laid her eyes on all the stuffed monsters scattered around.

“You’re the prettiest Boo I’ve ever seen, Miss Rockwell!” Charlotte told her friend.

“You’re the prettiest Sully I’ve ever seen, Miss Ridley!” Molly replied. The six year old wore a pink bathing suit with Boo printed on its front and a light purple tutu with glitter all over it and her red hair was up in two pigtails.

As for Charlotte, she wore the same bathing suit and tutu but in different colors. Fallon had gotten the personalized outfits for the girls specially for the party and all the stress she had gone through to make sure all three of them were beyond perfect had certainly paid off when she noticed how happy they were. Charlotte’s bathing suit was blue and had Sulley printed on its front, matching the also blue tutu. Her hair was down, the brown curls falling in front of her and, for the final touch, she wore a headband with Sulley’s blue fur with purple spots and gray horns.

“Let me just say I _love_ the matching outfits!” Sam exclaimed, walking towards the pool with a different drink in each hand just as Fallon and Liam approached with the youngest Ridley.

Liam was wearing blue jeans, a white shirt and a light blue hard hat with the Monsters Inc logo, just like the one the monsters wore in the movie, while Fallon wore a dark green summer dress, her hair down in waves just like Charlotte’s and a headband with two Mike Wazowski’s bobble antennas to match the one her eldest daughter was wearing.

Standing between her parents, her tiny hands perfectly looked in theirs, Olivia wore the bathing suit in light green and Mike printed on its front and a matching green tutu, just like the other girls, and a smaller version of the headband Fallon was wearing.

“Two drinks, Uncle Sam?” Charlotte teased him. “You look like mom,” she giggled softly.

“Charlie,” Liam called out.

“What?” She shrugged. “The only reason why mom isn’t holding two drinks is because she’s holding Ollie’s hand and you know it, daddy,” the six year old informed him.

“This Wazowski Margarita is too die for,” Sam held up one of the cocktail glasses. “This Randall Boggs Tequila Daiquiri is also very good too, if you’re interested,” he added before taking a sip of the second drink.

“I could definitely use one of those,” Fallon admitted.

“Mom, you want to order the Sullivan Southside when you head to the bar,” Charlotte told her mother. “I just checked with the bartender to make sure they had your favorite drink,”

“I was just about to comment on the amazing job you’ve done with this party, Fallon, but then I found out Charlotte did most of it,” Sam mentioned.

“Who do you think got us all in these outfits?” Liam couldn’t help but laugh. “Fallon was going for a more classic look until little Miss Ridley here decided to switch to themed outfits,”

“I think we look awesome!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Did you bring your pool shorts, Uncle Sam? Because we’re going to move this party to the pool after we take all of the photos,”

“Of course I did, Charlie,” he offered her a smile. “We should do shoulder wars!”

“We should!” The six year old jumped in excitement. “Daddy can carry me and you can carry Molly, Uncle Sam!”

“Alie!” Olivia screamed, letting go of her parents’ hands to run towards her sister. “Pool!” She looked up at Charlotte after wrapping her arms around her legs. “Pool!”

“You’re too young to play shoulder wars, Ollie,” Charlotte told her sister. “Why don’t we get you a hot dog instead?”

“No one is going anywhere near ketchup before we take those photos,” Liam spoke up. “You’re all in those cute bathing suits,” he gestured between the girls before turning towards Fallon, “and summer dresses,” he added, “and I’m melting in this outfit you chose for me so can we please do the photos first?” He questioned.

“You just want to get in the pool, Mr. Ridley,” the six year old teased him. “Because you hate social gatherings,” she shrugged.

“Keep up with that attitude and you’ll be the one to end up at the bottom of the pool,” Liam countered, his tone serious but playful.

They had been going through a phase where they would bicker for hours on end, teasing each other non-stop until they drove Fallon so crazy she had to keep them at least ten feet away from each other.

“Are you going to throw your own daughter in the water, Liam?” Charlotte continued and Fallon could only sigh, having forgotten for a moment that the young brunette called her father by his name during their bickering sessions.

“Well, I didn’t spend thousands of dollars on swimming lessons for you to drown, right?” He questioned, placing his hand on his hips to mimic her.

“No,” Charlotte shook her head, “but it would be very rude of you to throw your favorite daughter in the pool during your other daughter’s birthday,”

“Who said you’re my favorite daughter?” He rolled his eyes at her.

“Okay, that’s enough!” Fallon exclaimed, taking a step forward so she stood right between them. “Charlotte, stop provoking your father,” she demanded, staring at the six year old before turning around to glance at her husband, “and you Liam, are you six too?” She groaned. “For God’s sake,” she sighed. “Come on, let’s head inside to take those photos,” she mentioned while taking Olivia’s hand in hers.

“I know I’m not your favorite,” Charlotte looked up at her father as they walked side by side. “But that’s okay, I’m mom’s,” she smiled brightly.

“Daddy and I don’t have favorites, princess,” Fallon told her. “We love both of you just the same,” she bend over and quickly picked her youngest up in her arms, settling the baby girl against the right side of her body.

“But _I’m_ the mini Fallon!” The six year old exclaimed. “I _have_ to be your favorite!” She screamed at her mother.

“Hey,” Liam approached Charlotte and grabbed her wrist, making sure to be gentle even though he was tightening the grip of his fingers around it to reprimand her for the tantrum he knew was seconds away from happening. “Do you want to stay in time out back at the house and miss your sister’s party?” He asked, a serious look in his eyes as he started deeply into her teary blue ones.

“No,” she shook her head.

“Then stop acting like that,” he insisted. “One more word and you’re going back to the house,”

“I’m sorry, daddy,” Charlotte spoke softly.

“Go get Alexis and Blake so they can take a few photos with Olivia as well,” Liam requested.

“I told you this party would be a disaster,” Fallon murmured, rolling her eyes once Charlotte ran towards the bar, where Blake and Alexis were chatting.

“The mini Fallon wants all of the attention to go to her, babe,” he told her. “She loves Olivia very much but when it comes to the spotlight, you and I both know that Charlotte will try to get it on her no matter what,”

“I should probably talk to her,”

“I’m sure she will be fine once she and Molly start to play,” Liam mentioned. “Let’s give her a chance to adapt before we go hard on her about throwing tantrums just to drive our attention from Olivia to her,” he explained. “Some jealousy it’s normal and expected, Fal, but she needs to learn how to control it on her own too,”

“Yeah, I guess we can try that,” Fallon nodded. “Why is this party so stressful anyway? First Laura, then the staff doing everything wrong and now Charlie acting difficult...” She complained. “I also think my period is coming and that’s certainly not helping my nerves,” she murmured.

“Relax, Fal,” Liam placed his hands on her shoulders, giving them a light squeeze before leaning in for a quick kiss. “Olivia’s going to have a great party, okay? I promise,” he offered her a smile. “Just promise me you won’t get drunk,”

“It’s my baby’s party, Liam,” she stated. “If it was mine or yours, I would probably be wasted by now but I would never do that at our baby girl’s birthday party,”

“I know,” he leaned in for another kiss. “Just needed to hear that out loud,” he threw her a playful wink before guiding his wife and baby daughter towards the scenario the professional photographer had set up.

* * *

“Hey babe,” Liam wrapped his arms around her smaller frame from behind, his voice hushed and soft in her ear as she felt his bare arms and chest against her.

“Don’t even think about it,” Fallon groaned, trying to step out of his embrace before he could throw her in the pool.

“Mama!” Olivia exclaimed while shaking her arms to get her mother’s attention.

“See? She wants you to go in,” he told his wife.

“Pool, mama!” She insisted, kicking her legs inside the water so her bright yellow float would move forward and in her mother’s direction.

“Come on, Fal,” Liam murmured, scattering delicate kisses over her shoulders. “Why did you change if you’re not getting in the water?” He asked before taking one step back, his eyes travelling down her back to give her the once-over.

Fallon still had the blue cover up on but the straps were thin and since it exposed most of her back and collarbone, it was no surprise that she had dressed in the Monsters Inc bikini after the family photoshoot.

While the children only needed to take off their tutus when heading to the pool, having had already dressed in their themed bathing suits, Liam and Fallon had gotten very specific outfits. Charlotte had found the Monsters Inc fabric online when they were searching for outfit ideas and didn’t stop talking about it until Fallon finally agreed to get herself and Liam personalized swimsuits.

“Dude, what are you wearing?” Adam questioned, gesturing towards Liam’s shorts while walking towards the room hand in hand with Kirby.

“Don’t ask,” Fallon rolled her eyes playfully.

“I think they look amazing!” Charlotte exclaimed from the top of the water slide, screaming at her family’s member before sliding down towards the deep end of the pool.

“The things you do for your children,” Liam shrugged, laughing.

“Eh! Me!” Olivia extended her arms towards her big sister, turning away from her parents as hit the water with her palms excitedly.

“I’m not allowed to take you on the slide, Ollie,” the six year old spoke before diving into the water to keep swimming. “Are you two going to join us or not?” She asked once she reached the edge, looking up and glancing between Fallon and Liam.

“Your dad will,” Fallon responded.

“So will your mom,” Liam added.

“Mom doesn’t do this pool thing,” the brunette countered.

“Yes, she does,” he whispered while leaning closer to her. “On her daughter’s birthday,” he paused, “she does,”

“Mama!” Olivia screamed, laughing out loud as she begged her mother to join her.

“It’s clear you’re the one that she wants, honey,” Alexis told her daughter.

“Isn’t it enough that I’m wearing a bikini with Disney monsters all over it?” She groaned in complaint.

“Daddy,” Charlotte whispered when her mother turned towards Alexis. “Just push her,” she murmured, making sure he was the only one listening to her diabolical plan.

“Fallon, just do it,” Liam insisted, giving her one last chance to get into the pool on her own.

“Can’t you do it?” Fallon asked, turning on her heels to throw him her famous puppy eyes. “She loves you just as much,”

“I love you, Fal, but you’re giving me no other choice,” it was all he said before pushing her, his hands letting go of her arms as she fell backwards against the cold water.

“LIAM RIDLEY!” She screamed once she made it back to the surface, running both her hands through his hair to push it out of her face as the long wet strands floated around her on the water.

“Man, you’re in _trouble_ ,” Sam spoke, his hand flying to his mouth to hide his laugh from Fallon.

“Mama!” Olivia started to kick her legs, trying to get out of Sam’s grip to head towards her mother.

“Hold on, Liv,” he added softly, reaching for the one year old’s float before she could drift away from him through the pool.

“Give me my girl,” Fallon requested, walking towards them so she could pull her baby daughter out of the float. “Apparently she’s the only one in this family that cares about me,” she groaned, focusing her glare on Liam but also giving her eldest daughter a taste of her anger.

“Mama, pool,” Olivia bounced against her Fallon’s side, splashing water all over her mother’s face.

“You do know you’re not getting laid tonight, right?” Kirby teased Liam.

“Can you see that face?” The light haired man pointed towards Olivia, the sound of her laughter filling everyone’s heart with pure joy as she continued to splash water on Fallon. “It may have cost me a night of sex but look at them,” he couldn’t stop smiling as the entire family watched Fallon interact with Olivia in the middle of the pool, the one year old laughing even harder whenever her mother tickled her body through her Mike bathing suit. “There comes a point in life when hearing that laughter is a lot more important than anything,” he added, glancing at Charlotte for a brief moment before returning his attention to his wife and youngest daughter in time to catch Olivia wrapping her tiny arms around Fallon’s neck. “A few more of those kisses and Fallon will even forget I threw her in the pool,” he laughed as Olivia covered her mother’s face with wet smacks.

“Are you jealous, daddy?” Charlotte asked. “I can kiss you, if you want,” she offered.

“I guess I do, yeah,” he murmured. “It certainly looks like your mom is getting all of the special treatment now,”

“All you have to do is jump in the pool too, daddy,” she informed him.

“Are we going to have shoulder wars?”

“Of course, silly,” Charlotte replied, rolling her eyes Carrington style.

“Then watch out!” Liam screamed before finally jumping into the pool.

“Do you want to sleep on the couch tonight?” Fallon exclaimed when a wave of water hit both her and Olivia as he dove into the pool.

“You wouldn’t do such thing,” he shrugged. “Admit it, you love me,”

“Right now? Not that much, no,” Fallon shook her head, pouting.

“Lie all you want,” Liam mentioned while taking a step towards her, “but you do,” he added. “Very much, in fact,” he spoke before capturing her lips in his.

“Maybe a little bit,” she admitted once they broke apart for air.

“You know, Fal, you shouldn’t lie in front of your daughter,” he gestured to the baby girl between them.

“It’s okay, she won’t remember it,”

“Then what is this party for?” He questioned teasingly.

“For Olivia to know that her mother did her best to throw her the best one year old birthday party ever when her father’s one and only plan was to push her mother into the pool,” she complained and Olivia could only chuckle.

“At least she’s having fun,” Liam smiled softly.

“Yeah, well, you better join her in this water fun because someone is no longer invited to the after party later tonight,” she threw him a devious wink before placing Olivia in his arms.

“Fal...” He tried. “Come on,”

“You knew what you were getting yourself into when you threw me in here, Mr. Ridley,” Fallon shrugged, giving him one last glance before swimming towards Charlotte. “Now deal with it,” she added shortly before taking her eldest in her arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all liked it!
> 
> Let me know your thoughts!!


	32. Triple C's

“Carol, there you are!” Charlotte rushed into the kitchen, her eyes glued on the white envelope in her hand. “I just finished my report and all the necessary calculations so here is your share of this week’s profit!” She exclaimed only a second before she realized the chef wasn’t alone in the kitchen like she expected her to be.

“Profit?” Liam frowned. “What profit?”

“What’s in the envelope, Charlotte?” Fallon asked when the eight years old threw her arms back, hiding the envelope behind her suspiciously.

“Mom! Dad! You’re back!” She offered them her widest and brightest smile. “It’s so good to see you! How was France?” She tried to change the subject as she walked backwards in an attempt of leaving the kitchen sneakily.

“We spend two weeks in France and this is the greeting we get when we come back home?” Liam questioned. “Not even a hug?”

“Of course you’re getting a hug, daddy,” Charlotte murmured. “Oh do you hear that? I think Ollie is calling me!”

“I didn’t hear anything,” Liam replied. “Did you hear anything, Fal?” He turned towards his wife.

“Not really,” Fallon shrugged. “I believe she was sound asleep in her bedroom when we checked on her only ten minutes ago,”

“Are you going to tell us what you’re up to or should we just ask Carol?” He asked, gesturing towards their house chef.

“Well, you two were in France, searching for that flame and passion your marriage used to have and making up for the time you lived apart,” the eight year old started. “I hope you did because you got back together three months ago and if you haven’t found that yet, you probably never will and I certainly don’t like that scenario,”

“Certainly don’t like that scenario?” Liam questioned, confused with where she had been learning to say things like that.

”Searching for that flame and passion?” Fallon asked at the same time, both adults glancing at each other while they chuckled at their daughter’s choice of words.

“That’s what mom said before you flew to the city of lovers,” she shrugged. “Why do you think she bought so much new lingerie?” She placed her free hand on her hip and stared up at him.

“Fallon, what the hell have you been telling our daughter?” Liam’s eyes widened in shock.

“Don’t get mad at mommy, dad. She just told me that she needed to get new sets for your trip,” Charlotte explained. “You’ve also told me that only someone you love _very_ much is allowed to see you without clothes on. So you don’t have to be a genius to know that she was going to wear them for _you_ and not to go sightseeing in Paris,” she rolled her eyes. “Did you find that flame, by the way?” She asked her parents. “Is it safe to assume you’re the happiest couple ever again?” She looked between them.

“Yes, baby, daddy and I had a lot of fun,” Fallon spoke while taking a few steps towards her daughter. “Paris was amazing, as always,” she added. “We can tell you everything about it later but right now I’m a lot more interested in that envelope you’re hiding behind your back, Miss Ridley,” extending her hand, she glanced between Charlotte and her palm. “Come on,” she requested.

“Charlotte, you’re not going to disobey your mother, are you?” Liam questioned, stepping forward so he could stand right behind his wife.

“No, of course not,” she shook her head, staring down at her Pluto slippers while placing the envelope on her mother’s palm.

“Let’s see what Miss Ridley is up to this summer,” Fallon began.

“Should I call my lawyer to explain the situation?” The eight year old looked up at her parents. “Daisy!” She screamed at the top of her lungs, turning her head towards the living room. “We have a code 27!”

“I think you should handle your case yourself, princess,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh when the gray bulldog rushed into the kitchen wearing a pink outfit that resembled a suit. “Miss Daisy, your services won’t be necessary today, thank you,” he crouched down on the floor and rubbed his hand against her head, just like she loved.

“Charlotte Grace, what exactly is this?” Fallon’s eyes were wide when she handed Liam the envelope filled with cash.

“You two flew to the other side of the ocean and you barely answered my facetime calls when I called you,” Charlotte started. “I even checked on Google the time in France so I wouldn’t call you in the middle of the night but you still rejected plenty of my calls. I guess you were probably busy but well,” she shrugged. “So I had to make sure Ollie and I would be taken care of properly and I started a new business, you know, to make sure we had money for food and other basic needs,”

“Why don’t you tell more about this business of yours, Charlie?” Liam suggested, pulling up one of the seats for her to sit at the counter.

“Carol and I are in the cookie business now, dad,” she responded. “Since I’m going to school for that French summer project, I thought cookies would make all the students a lot happier...” She told him. “I may have asked to join that project to work on my French but some kids have to go because they didn’t get the grades they needed to pass, can you believe that?”

“That’s exactly why you should study and be a good student,” he mentioned. “So you don’t have to study during summer,”

“Oh, don’t I know that?” Charlotte rolled her eyes playfully. “French is cool and all we do is talk to each other, which is my favorite thing do to so,” she giggled. “But can you imagine going through all those history classes again?” She shook her head. “No, thank you,”

“It’s a great thing you’ve been getting good grades then,” Fallon spoke up, “but why don’t you tell us exactly what you’ve been doing in our absence?”

“Well, you were already in Paris on my first day so Carol baked some cookies for me to take to class,” she continued. “It looked like those kids had been starving for months, mommy, because they attacked those cookies like crazy!” She exclaimed. “Molly’s cousin didn’t pass his science class so we went up to his classroom to give him a cookie and his classmates loved them too and they’re a lot older than us... so I decided to sell them!”

“You’re selling cookies?” Liam frowned. “At school?”

“Yeah, but don’t worry, I talked to Mister Thompson,” she informed, telling them shortly about her meeting with the principal. “I told him my mom is the best business woman I’ve ever met and I wanted to be one too. He said it’s okay during summer but not when the year starts,”

“Oh Carol, please tell me she’s not extorting those kids,” Liam turned towards the chef.

“No, Liam,” Carol shook her head. “I think she’s mostly just having fun,”

“Carol bakes tons of cookies in the morning and I take them with me so everyone has warm and fresh cookies before class... and then she bakes more in the afternoon and Uncle Sam’s take them when he picks me up so everyone can have cookies for their afternoon snack!” Charlotte explained, bouncing on the chair in excitement. “It’s been two weeks but everyone just loves the Triple C’s,”

“Do we even want to know what Triple C’s means?” Fallon asked, glancing at Liam while running a hand nervously through her hair.

“Oh, it means Charlotte and Carol’s Cookies,” she told them. “Carol and I are partners, mom. She cooks and I sell and take care of the company’s finances. Daisy is the company’s lawyer because I called Harold and his fees were too high for our brand new company... so we just pay her in treats, which are a lot cheaper,” she explained. “We also have Miss Olivia, who is in charge of tasting the new recipes that Carol comes up with before we put them in our menu,” she continued. “She’s actually our employee with the worst temper because she eats one bite and leaves but we’re working on that... I’m starting to think I should raise her salary to two scoops of ice cream instead of just one. Carol and I have a meeting today at four so we can discuss the possibility of pre ordered cookies so we should probably discuss that too,”

“What the hell happened while we were away?” Liam asked Carol. “Did you grow up ten years by any chance?” He turned towards his daughter.

“Believe me, this was all her idea...” Carol looked between Liam and Fallon. “She’s so happy and excited with them that I agreed to help her. I don’t keep the money though, so you don’t have to worry about that, I just use it when I go grocery shopping,” she explained.

“What happened to studying and working on your French?” Fallon asked her.

“It’s working flawlessly, mommy,” she replied. “We have exams every Friday before we leave for the weekend... we had an oral one yesterday and I got an A+ because I used new words and barely had any accent,” she told her mother. “She writes a report for the parents and I left a copy on both your desks,” she looked between the two adults, both still gasping as they tried to process all that information.

“Well, we’re definitely reading that report, and very carefully if I might add,” Liam spoke.

“Can I go to my room now?” The eight year old asked. “I woke up earlier to work on the company’s numbers but now I think a deserve to relax by the pool so I should probably go change,”

“Charlotte, how are you even doing all of that?” Fallon questioned. She knew Charlotte was smart and had the same aptitude for business as she had but it still surprised her a lot to know her daughter was not only doing all that, but was also doing it by herself. “You’re eight, for god’s sake,” she mumbled.

“I’m eight and almost seven months, mom... that means I’m pretty much nine. Besides, Ollie and I had dinner at the manor early this week and grandpa was very proud of me. He said I should definitely use my Carrington genes in my favor,”

“You had dinner at the manor?” Liam immediately looked at Fallon, who was just as surprised as him to hear that.

“Yeah, he picked us up here and everything,” Charlotte replied. “Don’t worry, we were back by nine because of Ollie’s bedtime,” she rolled her eyes while filling a glass with the orange juice that was sitting on the counter. “Ugh, my throat is so dry,” she murmured before taking a large sip. “Carol, where did you get these oranges? They’re perfectly sweet and acidic at the same time,”

“I swear we had two kids when we left to Paris,” Liam groaned. “Is there still one left or do we have two teenagers now?”

“Ollie was still a baby last time I checked, daddy,” she shrugged. “Mom, now that you’re back, will you help me with my company? I still have two weeks left of summer school but I feel like we still have a lot of potential,”

“Of course, princess,” Fallon offered her a smile. “If you’re still interested in that internship at Fallon Unlimited for the rest of the summer, perhaps you can keep Triple C’s going for a couple more months and sell them at the office,”

“That is superb, mom!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“Superb?” Liam frowned.

“Grandpa bought ten percent of our shares at dinner. Maybe you want to buy some too?” She suggested. “Carol and I will still hold the majority of the shares but we’re making _lots_ of profit, mom!”

“I would love that, Charlie,” she chuckled. “Maybe Daisy can write us a contract?”

“I will have her get right on to that, mom,” the eight year old nodded. “She needs one to two business days though,”

“That’s fine,”

“Fallon, please don’t encourage her,” Liam whispered.

“How do you think I learned about business at such a young age, babe?”

“I don’t think I really want to know that answer,” he mumbled. “How much did your grandpa even pay for those shares, Charlotte? Do I need to give Blake a call?”

“I’m going to be completely honest with you here, daddy, but I have no idea,” Charlotte admitted. “He handed me an envelope and told me to give it to mom. Apparently there’s a check inside and mom’s supposed to add the money to my Harvard fund,”

“Well, that’s not as bad as I thought,” Liam shrugged. “Your mom and I were actually going to suggest a summer project for you, princess, but apparently you have your hands full with this cookie business,”

“What kind of project? I can multitask,” she responded.

“This trip helped daddy and I figure out a lot of things about ourselves, our marriage and what we both want from now on,” Fallon started. “The last thing we want is for that messy situation to repeat itself and for us to fight like there’s no tomorrow... we did a lot of thinking and we want to make new plans, new decisions and even set new goals and dreams,” she explained. “So we decided to renew our vows. Something like a wedding but with you and Olivia present,”

“And we thought you’d like to help us plan it,” Liam finished her sentence.

“Plan a wedding?” Her eyes widened. “Oh god, that’s... wow,” she gasped, struggling to find her words. “You think I’m capable of planning a wedding? Fallon and Liam’s wedding? Carrington and Van Kirk wedding? Because that’s huge, guys!” She exclaimed.

“Charlotte, look at everything you did when we were gone,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh. “We don’t want anything fancy or big... probably not even a party,” she admitted.

“It should be something small, princess. Something for the four of us and for mom and I to make new vows, including you and Olivia and making new plans for our family,” Liam told her. “We will totally understand if you’re too busy with your cookies though,”

“I want to help, daddy!” Charlotte told him. “I didn’t go to your first wedding so this one has to be _perfect_!”

“You didn’t exist back then, princess,” Fallon chuckled. “You weren’t even in our plans, as a matter of fact,”

“Well, that’s just a detail,” she shrugged, rolling her eyes.

“If you really think you can manage summer school, your new business and a wedding...” Liam began. “We would love if you helped us plan it,”

“Yes! Yes, yes, yes!” Charlotte jumped off the stool and threw her arms up in excitement. “Forget that pool, I have a wedding to plan!” She exclaimed. “Carol, here’s your money,” she reached for the envelope Fallon had placed on the counter and handed it to her. “I will be in my office and we will talk at four on the dot!” She added before running out of the kitchen.

“She has an office now?” Liam questioned.

“Oh, she does,” Carol let out a soft laugh. “It’s the blue guest room on the third floor,” she told them. “I’m pretty sure she stole your chair, Liam, and Fallon’s laptop but she’s certainly pretty committed to this new CEO role of hers. She wants to be you at all costs, Fallon,” she offered the brunette a smile. “She may be a handful but that girl definitely has potential,”

“She’s growing up way too fast, that’s for sure,” Liam murmured. “I’m not quite sure I want the answer to this question but...” He paused. “Anything else happened while we were away?”

“Your little angel is still a perfect angel and Charlie well, she’s Charlie,” she shrugged. “You’ve been gone for two weeks so... would you like the short or the full version?”

“Is the full version going to make us consider boarding school?” He asked.

“Probably,” the chef chuckled.

“Then go with the short version,” Fallon requested before turning towards her husband, “because you’re not sending my future billionaire anywhere, Mr. Ridley,”

“Well, to start... I take it none of you has noticed the twenty feet inflatable slide that is currently at the edge of your pool?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all liked this one!! What do you think Charlotte's gonna come up with for their "ceremony"?
> 
> Let me know your thoughts!!


	33. Bad Dreams

_Charlotte tiptoed through the hallway, dragging her fluffy light pink blanket behind her while she carried her stuffed Olaf in the other hand. She had reached the height needed to reach knobs a while back and ever since them, she checked every room in the house almost every day, mainly to fulfill her curiosity._

_The second floor of the Ridley’s mansion was dark but Charlotte had memorized the way to her parents’ bedroom long before she could walk on her own. Reaching for the black knob, she let out a soft and muffled giggle when she turned it around and the door actually opened, unlike the night before when she found it locked. She had just had a nightmare, and even though she kept turning the knob back and forth, it wouldn’t open, no matter how badly she needed her mother._

_Opening the large wooden door carefully, the three year old stepped into the master bedroom making sure she made as little noise as possible. As soon as she spotted her mother, lying on her side as usual, she walked towards her and climbed on the king sized bed._

_“Charlie?” Fallon whispered still half-asleep when she felt the odd movement on the mattress that was too light to be her husband._

_“Go back to sleep, mommy,” she replied. “You won’t even notice I’m_ hewe _,”_

_“Again, princess?” The brunette murmured incoherently when she felt a slightly cold hand pressed against her chest. She had chosen a silk tank top for that night and she couldn’t help but shiver when the tiny hand of her three year old woke her up._

_“Sleep with you, mommy,” Charlotte whispered, sliding her hand up her mother’s collarbone so she could cup her cheek._

_“You already slept with mommy last night, Charlie,” she reminded her. “You should be sleeping in your bed, princess. Is something wrong with your own room?” She asked while scooting back so her daughter could get comfortable._

_“Olaf and I_ vewy comfowtable hewe _, mommy,” Charlotte infored as she adjusted her legs under the blanket before snuggling closer to Fallon._ “Vewy comfowtable,” _she repeated, bringing both hands close to her body as she laid her head on her mother’s chest._

_“Nightmare?” Fallon asked, running her fingers sotfly through Charlotte’s dark brown strands while she watched her eyes slowly start to close._

_“Yeah,” she mumbled as a long yawn escaped her lungs. “I love you,” she spoke, tracing small circles over Fallon’s skin with her thumb. “I love you so much, mommy,”_

_“I love you too, princess,” she offered the toddler a smile. “Mommy loves you very much. To the moon and back, remember?” Pulling Charlotte closer to her, she threw one arm over her daughter’s small frame to make sure she was at a safe distance from the edge of the bed._

_“No sleeping alone,” Charlotte shook her head, moving it from left to right quickly as she stared deeply into the bright blue eyes that matched hers perfectly. “Sleep with mommy,” she insisted, raising her voice._

_“Charlie... keep quiet, baby,” she spoke up. “You don’t want to wake daddy up, do you?”_

_“No, mommy,” she shook her head. “I’m_ sowy _,”_

_“May I ask what’s wrong with your bed, Miss Ridley?” She teased, staring back at her daughter while running a hand softly through her hair._

_“I want you, mommy,” she replied, throwing her arms around her mother’s neck in a desperate attempt to pull her into a tight hug. “I want you,” she repeated, mumbling the words in such a low tone that Fallon could only pull her closer, enveloping her in a loving embrace before placing a long kiss on the top of her baby girl’s head._

_“Okay, baby, but you have to try sleeping in your own bed at some point,” Fallon mentioned. “You’ve had that for a while now and you’ve never had problems with it, princess,”_

_“I don’t like it_ anymowe _,” was the toddler’s response, “no mommy in it,”_

_“That’s because this one_ here _is mommy’s bed,” she couldn’t help but giggle at three year old’s explanation._

_“Then I will be_ hewe _,” Charlotte informed her. “Keeping you_ vewy _,_ vewy _safe, mommy,” she added, tightening her arms around her mother’s neck as she let out another muffled yawn._

_Fallon could only sigh at her daughter’s words but the way Charlotte kept hugging her, wrapping her arms around her body as tight as she could and making sure her head was lying right over her mother’s heart only proved that she was still suffering. It proved that the reason why Charlotte was constantly having nightmares and why she kept moving to their bed in the middle of the night was that she needed to keep her mother safe at all costs. That deep down, in that small and innocent brain of Charlotte’s, she was still seeing images of the private plane on fire after it crashed only minutes before arriving at the nearest airport._

_“Okay, baby,” Fallon spoke, her tone soft as she leaned in to give her daughter another kiss good night. “Mommy’s glad you’re protecting her. I’m sure I’m extra safe now with you and daddy to protect me,”_

_“You_ awe _. Sleep tight, mommy,” she mumbled back, drifting off before she could even elaborate her response as she finally allowed herself to go back to sleep in her mother’s arms._

It had been the fourth night in a row that Charlotte left her bedroom in the middle of the night to sleep with Fallon. Besides the one night when she couldn’t get their door to open no matter how much she tried, she would snuggle against her mother, making sure their bodies were almost glued together before she fell back asleep.

It wasn’t unusual for Charlotte to ask to sleep with them, claiming she was either cold or feeling lonely in her bedroom. They had replaced her crib for a small bed, its mattress close to the floor and a few bars protecting half the bed, right after her second birthday mainly because she kept climbing onto the crib bars to get out. However, as soon as she realized she could easily get out of bed and walk to the master bedroom, that quickly became one of her favorite things to do.

That week, nevertheless, Charlotte had been acting even clingier towards her mother. As much as Fallon attempted to talk her into sleeping in her own bed, she knew her daughter’s thoughts were still vivid in her brain. All she could do was hug her baby girl close to her and let her fall asleep in her arms, trying not to worry as she knew it was totally normal for kids that age to have scary dreams and run to their parents’ bed.

However, it was when the screaming and the heavy crying started that Fallon startled awake. Her body practically jumped off the mattress as Charlotte squirmed, kicking her legs and even hitting her mother on the chest with one of her clenched fist as she continued to scream in her sleep.

_Fallon glanced at Liam as she paced around the large bedroom, holding Charlotte tight against her chest as she whispered comfort words softly in her daughter years. Charlotte had her head on her mother’s shoulder and her small legs were wrapped around her body while Fallon kept one arm across her daughter’s back and one hand on the back of her head._

_“It’s okay, baby, mommy’s here,” she spoke before placing a kiss on the three year old’s forehead._

_Although the screaming had stopped, Charlotte was still crying and Fallon could hear the soft and low hiccups coming out of her lips every time her body jumped slightly against her mother. At any normal night, Liam would be the first one to wake up at the sound of their little girl crying but not that night._

_Fallon remembered waking up around three in the morning when she felt him finally joining her in their king sized bed. The first draft of Liam’s new book was due by the end of the week and she could tell he hadn’t been sleeping more than three or four hours a night so it was no surprise to her when he didn’t even budge at their daughter’s screams._

_She knew she could comfort Charlotte on her own. She had done it plenty of times in the past three and a half years but when she tapped the screen of her phone and realized she had been pacing around the room for twenty five minutes, she_ knew _something was not right. Before the screen could even turn black on its own, she watched as the minute numbers changed and revealed it was already 4:50AM._

_“Mommy! I need you, mommy!” Charlotte murmured, her face buried in the crook of Fallon’s hair as she tightened the grip of her arms and legs around her mother._

_Letting out a sigh, she walked around the bed and just as she removed the hand on Charlotte’s lower back, the three year old screamed loudly._

_“Don’t let go of me!” She begged._

_“Liam,” Fallon tried to wake him up while attending her daughter’s request but no matter how much she raised her voice, he still wouldn’t move. “Liam!” She repeated. “Liam! Wake up!” She screamed out of the blue, raising one of her legs and bumping his with her knee._

_“Fallon?” Liam murmured, taking one hand to his eyes so he could rub the sleep off his face._

_“Mommy,” Charlotte insisted as her crying suddenly intensified._

_“Liam, I think Charlie is having a panic attack,” Fallon blurted out. She could feel her heart racing and beating a lot faster than it should at every hiccup Charlotte let out against her neck._

_“She’s three, Fal. Three year old don’t have panic attacks,” he groaned, sitting up on the back still in a half asleep state._

_“Something is wrong, Liam,” she replied on the verge of tears. “Look,” she added right before she raised both her hands in the air. Liam’s eyes widened when Charlotte didn’t slide a single inch down, staying completely still while hugging and clinging to her mother like a koala bear._

_“Charlie, princess, can you talk to us?” Liam asked, jumping off the bed._

_“Mommy! We need to_ pwotect _mommy!” Charlotte exclaimed._

_“Princess, can you look at daddy for a moment?” He requested, placing one hand protectively on her upper back before running his other hand through the soft waves of her hair. “Oh god, her hair is wet,”_

_“Because she’s panicking,” Fallon told him. “Liam, what’s going on?” She asked desperately._

_“Charlie, is this because of the plane?”_

_“We can’t lose mommy!”_

_“We’re not losing mommy, princess,” Liam reassured her._

_“Baby, I’m right here,” Fallon whispered softly before placing a kiss on the top of her head._

_“You’re hugging mommy very tight, aren’t you?” He asked her, getting nothing but a shy nod in response from the three year old. “Can you feel her heart beating against your chest?” She nodded again. “Mommy is right here with us, Charlotte. There’s nothing to worry about, princess,”_

_“But the plane_ cwashed _,” Charlotte murmured, each word leaving her lips in a low tone only to be followed by a loud hiccup. “So much_ fiwe _, daddy!” She frowned, staring at him while she leaned her head against Fallon’s and he could only feel his heart breaking into a million pieces at the sight of his daughter looking so vulnerable and broken._

The sun had been shinning for hours when Liam walked into the master bedroom, carrying a large tray with every kind of breakfast he could think of after such an exhausting night.

They had both jumped in the shower with Charlotte, hoping the hot temperature and the soothing sound of the water falling on their bodies would be able to sooth and comfort her. None of them had any idea of how long they were in there for but the ray lights of the sun were already making their way into the bedroom when they finally got out of the bathroom.

Setting the tray down on the small table at the corner of the room, Liam took a deep breath before heading towards the bed to wake them up.

“Princess, wake up,” Liam spoke softly while playing with her hair.

Fallon was lying on her back and Charlotte was sleeping right on top of her mother, her chest against her mother’s stomach and her head between her breasts.

After the shower, Liam kept telling her to focus on her mother’s heartbeat, explaining to her how that meant her mother was very much alive and safe no matter had happened in her nightmares. So, eventually, the three year old ended up falling asleep to the sound of Fallon’s heart beating inside her chest while her mother’s hands run gently up and down her back.

“I brought you your favorite cereal, baby,” Liam continued.

“No _cewal_ ,” Charlotte shook her head slightly.

“I made waffles too,” he informed.

“No, thanks,” she mumbled, lifting her head off Fallon’s chest to glance at her father before lying back down.

“What about pancakes?” Liam suggested.

“No, mommy,” she replied while throwing her arms around Fallon’s head to hug her.

“You want _mommy_ for breakfast?” He frowned.

“No, I want to _hug_ mommy,” she told him.

“Ugh, Charlie...” Fallon groaned, not able to breath by the way Charlotte was holding her neck. “Easy, baby, easy,” she begged before taking one hand to her mouth to cover the long yawn that was just about to escape her lips.

“I made a Minnie pancake _just_ for you, princess. Don’t you want to at least try it?”

“We don’t have a Minnie pancake mold,” the three year old replied.

“We don’t, no,” Liam nodded in agreement. “But we have a Mickey mold, sliced strawberries for her bow and whipped cream for its tiny white dots,”

“Is it really a _Minnie_ pancake?” Charlotte questioned and for the first time in hours, Fallon and Liam could both breathe relieved at the sound of actual excitement in their daughter’s voice. “Let me see that,” she requested.

“Aww, princess, how sweet is that?” Fallon asked when Liam held the white porcelain plate in front of them.

“I like that,” she admitted.

“Do you think you can let go of mommy for a little while so you can eat your pancake?” Liam asked.

“I guess,” Charlotte shrugged.

_“NO! MOMMY! NO!” Liam dropped the pan he had just pulled out of the top cabinet on the floor when he heard his daughter’s scream. “NOOOO!” She repeated only a second later._

_“Go check on her,” Carol told him when he glanced between the pan and the door that led to the TV room. A wave of shock taking over his body and paralyzing his legs for what felt like hours but couldn’t have been more than seconds._

_“MOMMY! GIVE ME MY MOMMY BACK!” Charlotte screamed, desperately hitting the TV screen with her palms. “MOMMY!” She begged. “TV, I WANT MY MOMMY BACK!” She hit the screen even harder one more time before throwing herself on the floor._

_“Charlie, what’s happening?” Liam ran towards the three year old, kneeling down on the floor when she turned around to lie on her stomach._

_“Mommy!” It was all she managed to say before the crying started. “Mommy gone!” She pointed towards the large TV._

_Placing one hand on each side of Charlotte’s body, Liam picked her up from the floor and sat down on the floor before settling her on his lap. When he looked up at the TV, he could only sigh at the realization of what had caused his daughter to scream like that out of sudden._

_The local Atlanta news was on and it was currently showing footage of a famous senator’s private plane on fire. From what Liam could tell by reading the small words on the bottom of the screen, the plane had crashed minutes before arriving at the nearest airport after requesting an emergency landing due to a problem in one of the engines._

_“I WANT MY MOMMY!” Charlotte screamed again, jumping off his legs and heading for the TV. “MOMMY!”_

_“Princess, this is not mommy’s,” Liam grabbed her wrist before she could hit the screen again._

_“Mommy’s gone, daddy,” she spoke between hiccups, handing him his own iPhone. “I called mommy,” she told him. “She didn’t_ answey _,”_

_“How did you even call mommy, Charlie?” He frowned._

_“Holding the_ wight _button and asking_ Siwi _,” the three year old replied. “I want my mommy!” She threw her arms up in the air, the small device flying across the room as she let herself fall against her father’s chest. “I can’t live without mommy! I WANT MY MOMMY!”_

_“Mommy’s at work, princess,” Liam stood up while holding her tightly against his body. “She didn’t pick up because she’s probably still in her meeting. That’s all,”_

_“She got in the jet, daddy,” Charlotte reminded him. Images of her mother boarding the Carrington jet that morning to fly to Miami for her meeting playing in her brain every time she glanced at the screen. “Now_ cwash _and_ fiwe _!” She gestured to the TV. “I want my mommy!”_

_“The Carrington jet is white remember?” He asked as he walked around the couch to reach for his phone. “That jet seemed to be blue, princess,”_

_Charlotte was only three years old and while Liam understood why she was acting like that, he had no idea of what to do. He couldn’t just tell her details like the color of a plane to get her to understand that the plane that had crashed wasn’t her mother’s. Especially not when they had_ just _taken Fallon to the airport that morning._

_In her head, she had watched Fallon waving at her from the Carrington jet window and then she had walked into the TV room just when the news changed to the senator’s plane crash._

_“Liam, what the hell?!” Fallon’s angry voice echoed around the room when she finally picked up the facetime call. “Nine missed calls? You know I’m in a meeting!” She raged._

_“MOMMY!” Charlotte shouted as loud as she could, forcing Liam to close his eyes and even wishing there was a way to close his ears as she kept screaming so close to his face while calling for her mother._

_“What is happening over there?” She asked confused._

_“I need you to talk to Charlie,” Liam replied. “Can you see mommy, princess?” He turned the screen towards the three year old._

_“Hi, baby girl!” Fallon offered her a bright smile. “Why are you crying?”_

_“That’s not real!” Charlotte complained, squirming in her father’s arms. “It’s a phone!” Her entire body jumped against Liam’s body when her hiccups wouldn’t stop. “My mommy is dead!” She reached for the iPhone and threw it at the floor._

_“Liam, what is happening?” Fallon asked seriously, speaking to a black screen before he could grab the phone from the floor. Normally, their daughter would get quite a scold from completely destroying the screen of his phone, both glass and display as he could only see a few parts of his wife’s face through the pink and green splotches of the clearly damaged phone._

_“Come home. Now,” he begged. “Leave that meeting right_ now _and come home, Fallon,”_

“Come on, princess, let’s sit up,” Fallon suggested, placing Charlotte in the middle of the bed as they both leaned against the headboard while sitting up.

“Do you understand that there’s no reason to worry, Charlie?” Liam offered her a smile before settling the tray over Fallon’s extended legs. “That nothing happened to mommy because it wasn’t mommy’s plane that crashed?”

“It was in the _nightmawe_ ,” Charlotte replied, tilting her body to the right so she could lean her head against Fallon as her mother poured some orange juice into the pink purple cup.

“I’m right here, princess. I’m not going anywhere, okay? I promise,” Fallon reassured her. “Come on, drink some juice,” she offered her the sippy cup after closing its lid.

“Mommy left that meeting as soon as she realized you needed her and she came home right away, Charlie,” he reminded her. “We all have nightmares once in a while but they’re not real, okay? Your mom is standing right here with us, there’s nothing be scared off, baby,”

“I can’t lose mommy,” Charlotte old shook her head.

“You’re not going to lose me, Charlie,” Fallon wrapped one arm around her daughter, pulling her closer to her as the three year old took a bite of her pancake.

“You _pwomise_ me?” She asked, looking up at her mother with teary eyes.

“I promise you,” she replied, sealing their deal with a long kiss on the top of her daughter’s head.

“And no _mowe_ flying?” Charlotte continued.

“No more flying,” Fallon shook her head.

“Huh, Fallon?” Liam whispered. “We have the Van Kirk Gala in New York next week,”

“No planes!” The three year old exclaimed when she realized they would have to leave Atlanta to attend the event.

“We can’t just ignore everything that just happened this week, especially _today_ , because of a stupid gala, Liam,” Fallon told him.

“Fallon, I’m doing one of the speeches!”

“Then go by yourself,” she murmured.

“No one,” Charlotte paused, “is flying,” she repeated before throwing herself at her mother to hug her.

“Sometimes I wonder how can she boss us around like this when she’s only three years old,” Liam couldn’t help but chuckle.

“She’s been bossing us around ever since we brought her back from the hospital, babe,” Fallon giggled. “What if we drive?”

“To New York?” He frowned. “Fallon, it’s a _thirteen_ hour drive,”

“I left in the middle of an important meeting because my baby girl needed me. She’s scared and it’s going to take some time to get over that fear of planes, right princess?” She glanced at Charlotte, who just nodded. “I’m sure Miss Ridley here will do everything she needs to overcome that fear because she’s the strongest little girl I know,” she tickled her stomach, smiling as her daughter’s soft yet loud giggles filled the room. “But in the meantime, we’re going to have to drive to New York if you want to be at that gala,”

“Do you promise to let mommy and daddy help you with those bad dreams, princess?” Liam asked her. “Instead of crying and screaming for mommy?”

“Can I sleep _hewe_?” Charlotte asked.

“You can, yeah,” he nodded.

“Mommy can sleep in your bed with you sometimes too, if you want,” Fallon suggested.

“Can I go to _wowk_ with you?” She looked up at Fallon. “Keep you safe, mommy,”

“You can,” she rolled her eyes at her daughter’s question. “Does this mean I have my own personal body guard now?” She teased.

“You do,” Charlotte nodded before throwing one slice of strawberry in her mouth.

“Okay, good,” Fallon chuckled, “but now let’s enjoy this delicious breakfast daddy prepared for us, okay?”

“I’m _sowy_ I _scweamed_ , mommy,”

“It’s okay, princess. We’re going to work on that, okay? Just like we worked on your fear of the dark,”

“Okay, mommy,” she offered her mother a bright and happy smile before finally turning her attention to the tray of breakfast in front of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quite a different chapter from what I usually write in this series but I felt like this is something important when telling a story about kids. This things happen and sometimes they're not that bad but sometimes they're exactly like this because kids' minds are vivid and they come up with so many scary scenarios...
> 
> I promised no more angst for a while and there will be no angst. I never meant to hurt anyone here. All I wanted was to write something about how Charlie dealt with one of her worst nightmares.
> 
> I do hope you enjoyed it though! Let me know what you thought of it!


	34. A VKI Board Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is for Carolina. 
> 
> Also, let's thank her for creating the whole Van Kirk family tree because all of the Van Kirk characters in this chapter come from her headcanons about their family.

“Liam, babe, we’re leaving,” Fallon informed as she made her way into the wide kitchen.

Liam was sitting at the table, reading the morning news on his iPad about the latest political scandal in America while feeding Olivia her breakfast. As Fallon walked further into the kitchen, she set her empty mug down on the counter before heading towards her husband and daughter.

“What do you mean _we_?” Liam asked, looking up at Fallon while she leaned down to place a kiss on the top of their daughter’s head. “I thought you were flying to New York for that VKI board meeting,” he shrugged confused.

“Good morning, my dear family!” Charlotte greeted them in excitement as she approached them with an ear-to-ear smile on her lips.

“Why is Charlotte wearing a suit?” He frowned, staring at his eldest daughter from top to bottom before turning his attention towards his wife.

“Didn’t you like the fruit salad that daddy made for you, pumpkin?” Fallon asked Olivia when she noticed the pieces of orange and cantaloupe still in the green plastic bowl.

“I ate the _bewies_ , mommy,” the three year old replied, raising her hands up in the air to hold her palms wide open in front of her mother. “See? I have blue _fingeys_!” She giggled loudly.

“Fallon...” Liam insisted once he realized she would only deviate from what he really wanted to know.

He watched as Charlotte moved around the kitchen, filling two thirds of her glitter pink travel mug with black coffee before pouring the foamed milk he had just prepared in it. She wore her favorite [Burberry skirt](https://us.burberry.com/vintage-check-pleated-skirt-p80121231) \- a sharply pleated cotton skirt in our Vintage check with one self-tie ribbons on each side of her waist, a white shirt buttoned up all the way to her neck to enhance the beauty of its delicate collar and a black blazer jacket.

To complement her outfit, she wore black Chanel flats and to for the most perfect final touch, as she had described, she wore the two Pandora bracelets around her left wrist, its charms hanging down the back of her hands and making a soft noise as she moved her arm. Her brown hair was pulled back in a french mohawk braid, the long strand cascading down her back in soft waves and flying from left to right as the eight year old stole a bag of M&M’s from one of the candy jars on the counter.

“You were all about oranges last week, pumpkin. I know this new diet Dr. Miller gave you is not exactly a fun diet but you have to eat a little bit more, Liv,” she explained softly.

“Daddy made eggs, mommy,” Olivia pointed at the small plate in front of her, opening her mouth wide when Liam offered her another spoonful of his special scrambled eggs.

“Do you promise me you will eat all of your eggs then?”

“I _pwomise_ , mommy,” she nodded.

“I will ask daddy for a photo of your plate, Miss Ridley,” Fallon warned her.

“I will eat _evewything_ , mommy, but no _mowe fwuit_ ,” Olivia pouted, staring up at her mother with pleading eyes.

“Good girl,” she offered the three year old a smile.

“Fallon, for the last time,” Liam requested. “I understand why _you_ are wearing a suit but I still haven’t gotten a reasonable answer to why our daughter is also in a suit?” He questioned in a more serious tone.

“Today’s board meeting is not just _any_ board meeting, Liam,” Fallon began. “I’ve probably talked to you about it five times the past month and all you did was either ignore me or say how you’re not interested in what those people have to say,” she explained.

“Today is the _family_ meeting, dad. Remember?” Charlotte asked before walking back towards her mother. “Come on, mom, we have to go otherwise we’re going to be late,”

“Oh no,” he paused, pushing himself off his seat and jumping in front of Fallon before she could even take a step forward to head out of the kitchen. “No, no, no,” he shook his head. “You’re _not_ taking Charlotte to New York. No way, Fallon!”

“Mom is not a Van Kirk by blood, daddy,” the eight year old reminded him. “That means she is not allowed inside that room today and we _all_ know how important that meeting is going to be. Mom can’t just miss it as if this was just another board meeting with that Gary guy talking nonstop about his most recent idea for the cafeteria on the third floor,” she rolled her eyes. “Maybe that’s why grandma came up with this board meeting that only allows those who are Van Kirk’s by blood. That dude is _crazy_ ,”

“Or maybe because she doesn’t want me taking what should be Liam’s position,” Fallon commented.

“Yeah, that makes sense too,” Charlotte nodded in agreement. “But to be fair, mom, you have been handling and taking care of dad’s VKI shares for as long as I’ve been alive!” She exclaimed. “Why would grandma do that _now_?”

“When have you _ever_ understood what your grandma does and _why_ she does it?”

“Fallon, don’t you think we should have discussed this?” Liam pointed at their daughter, who could only pull on her mother’s hand in an attempt of dragging her out of the kitchen.

“If you want me to keep handling the kind of stuff that _you_ were supposed to be handling, I need to go to this meeting. I’m sure Laura will bring up a lot of important matters for the board to discuss because she knows some of the members won’t be there, including this _Carrington_ blood one here,” Fallon pointed at herself with her thumb.

“Look, my mother might hate you but she _did_ say you were great with business,” he countered. “She’s not going to leave you out of important matters, Fallon,”

“Liam, babe,” she paused, “handsome man, love of my life,” she added, choosing the best words to trick him into finally letting her and Charlotte leave for the airport. “She said that _once_. Seven years ago and while she was drunk off her ass at a Van Kirk party,”

“Language, Mrs. Ridley,” Charlotte spoke up.

“Sorry, baby,” Fallon whispered.

“Look, Liam, over a decade ago, you were pretty clear when you said you didn’t want to be involved in your family’s business,” Fallon began, a bold tone in her voice as the words left her lips. “But for some reason you’re still extremely attached to it. Enough to have chickened out the _four_ times you tried to sell your shares,” she focused on his eyes as she continued, his blue orbs staring right back at her in both shock and surprise as she expressed herself in a way she had never actually done, at least not when it came to his lack of interest in the VKI business.

“Oooh,” the two girls murmured at the same time, their eyes widening in surprise at the words their mother had just thrown at their father.

“I may have become a part of it because of you but you’ve shown less and less interest in it over the years, Liam, and you _know_ that,” she told him. “But this little one here,” she looked down at Charlotte, placing her hands on her eldest daughter’s shoulders, “not only has a special aptitude for business but she also loves it and she does it from the heart,” she offered her daughter a smile. “One day we won’t be here and she will be left with Fallon Unlimited, part of CA, part of VKI and whatever business she starts on her own so I’m sorry if somehow along the way, I started doing this for her and not for you,” she admitted. “Now, your lovely mother created this stupid meeting that only allows Van Kirk by blood. If you don’t want to come, fine, that’s your choice, but the only way I’m getting inside that room is by being a parent or legal guardian to a minor Van Kirk,”

“That’s because you’re training her to be you, Fallon,” Liam mentioned. “Yeah, that bothered me when it first started but things changed once I realized how much Charlotte actually loves being a part of it. She wants to be you and that’s actually the sweetest thing but she’s still a kid, Fal. She’s still eight years old,”

“I will be nine in three months, daddy,” the young brunette reminded him.

“I just don’t think you’re old enough for a board meeting, princess,” he confessed. “Not to mention that you have to be at least eighteen years old to become a member of the board,”

“Which is why mom is going with me,” Charlotte rolled her eyes. “You said you didn’t want to go and Ollie doesn’t even know the difference between a financial report and an income statement, which means I’m the only Van Kirk in this family qualified enough to go to this board meeting, daddy,”

“What is the name written on your passport, Charlotte?”

“Ridley but,”

“Exactly,” Liam interrupted, speaking up before she even had a chance to finish her sentence.

“Biology might not be one of my strongest subjects but I _know_ I have Van Kirk DNA running through my body as we speak,” Charlotte explained. “Please, daddy,” she begged, throwing him her famous puppy eyes.

“On two conditions. First, you do exactly what your mom tells you to do. _She’s_ in charge, no matter what,”

“Consider that done,” the eight year old nodded.

“Second, you stop calling yourself a Van Kirk because that gives me chills and not the good ones,”

“Consider that done as well,” Charlotte offered him a bright smile. “Now can mom and I please go to airport?”

“Yes, you two can go,” Liam nodded.

“Great. Let’s go, mom! Let’s go!” Reaching for her travel mug and her bag of M&M’s she had set on the counter as they talked, she started heading out of the kitchen.

“Fal,” he grabbed her arm before she could turn around to follow their daughter.

“Don’t worry, Liam. I won’t let her do anything I know you wouldn’t approve of,” Fallon reassured him.

“I trust you,” he replied, leaning in for a quick but loving kiss. “Let me know when you take off so I can track the jet and call me as soon as you land,”

“I will,” she smiled, her lips still pressed against his as she went in for a second kiss.

“Fallon Carrington Ridley! Let’s go!” Charlotte exclaimed from the door. “Come on! No more kissing! Chop Chop!” She rolled her eyes when her mother didn’t even budge at her request, choosing to deepen the kiss instead as she pressed her body against Liam’s. “Mom, come on! The Big Apple awaits!”

* * *

“I don’t think you’re focusing on the most important thing here? The profit this company makes so we can all have our well deserved bonuses?” Edith Van Kirk asked, glaring at her cousin from across the large wooden table before rolling her eyes as to express her dissatisfaction with where their current discussion was headed.

“Well deserved?” Jamison frowned sarcastically. “You mean the bonus you use to spend summer in your beloved private island in Greece, fall in that castle you call a cabin in Vermont and winter in Switzerland?” He countered. “Until you magically show up here in New York in spring to pretend or, I don’t know,” he paused, glancing at everyone sitting around them before offering her a nonchalantly shrug. “To prove to yourself that you actually _do_ something for this company?” He questioned.

“Edith, you have to admit that the performance of the marketing team was not ideal this past quarter,” Charlotte spoke up, turning the page of the delicate Tiffany blue binder in front of her. “You’re spending almost as much as you bring as revenue and your profit is getting closer and closer to zero every month when we take a closer look at the past twelve months,” she continued.

“Is that my granddaughter that I hear?” Laura asked, walking through the glass door and joining the board meeting almost half an hour late. “Talking back to my lovely sister?” She chuckled at the blonde woman, using the same tone of sarcasm Jamison had used a moment back when talking to Edith.

“The girl knows what she’s talking about, huh?” Elliot mentioned. “Why would we all even vote to approve another marketing project when the last one barely made a difference in the quarter’s income?” He asked, reaching for the eight year old binder as he carefully read the numbers and the short notes Charlotte had written next to them.

“What are you doing here?” Laura asked as soon as she noticed Fallon leaning against the wall while standing only a couple of feet behind her daughter. “I believe I was crystal clear when I reminded you today’s meeting only allowed real Van Kirk’s?”

“As a _minor_ , I’m required to have a parent or a legal guardian with me during a meeting, according to the Van Kirk Industries bylaws,” Charlotte informed, staring deeply into Laura’s eyes. “As my _mom_ , she is allowed in this meeting,”

“I still don’t understand what an eight year old is doing here,” Nathan rolled his eyes.

“Manners, Nathaniel!” Jamison quickly intervened.

“I’m not bringing my kids to our meetings, Ellis is not bringing his kids to our meetings,” he groaned, rolling his eyes at the elder man. “Jack is _so_ freaking interested in this company that his _wife_ has been handling everything for him for over a decade and now he sends his _child_ to take care of it? Do you all think I’m stupid or something?” He raged.

“My father might not be interested but I am,” Charlotte turned her chair around, her feet hanging in the air and her legs moving back and forth as she looked at Nathan in the eye.

“And what do you even know about a million dollar company, little girl?” He asked.

“Dude, she has an entire analysis on both financial numbers and employee reviews of every section of this company,” Elliot told his brother before sliding the eight year old’s binder towards him.

“My mom helped me, I won’t deny it,” she mentioned. “I don’t have much experience but I’m here to learn,”

“If you have thirty thousand dollars of revenue, three hundred units sold with a variable cost of fifty dollars per unit, two thousand of interest expense and one thousand of taxes, what’s your net income?” Nathan asked, ready to prove to all of the family members present in the meeting that she wasn’t suit for a board meeting.

Charlotte spun her chair around and glanced at her mother for half a minute before turning her attention back towards Nathan.

“Can I have my binder?” She asked while reaching for a pen.

“No,” he replied right away, holding onto the binder before Jamison could offer it back to the little girl. “Can’t do it, can you?”

“That’s okay,” Charlotte shrugged, speaking up only a minute after taking another glimpse at her mother. “Three hundred units sold with a variable cost of fifty dollars per unit means fifteen thousand of operating expenses,” she responded, less than three minutes once she was thrown the question by her second cousin. “If you have a revenue of thirty thousand and three thousand of other expenses then you’ll have a net income of twelve thousand dollars,”

“What-“ Nathan gasped, his mouth open and his jaw on the floor as he tried to remember any random word out of the English vocabulary.

“Which means a net profit margin of forty percent,” she added in conclusion. “Any other questions?”

“How-“ it was all he managed to say.

“Don’t ever underestimate my granddaughter, Nathaniel,” Laura spoke in a rather loud tone, throwing one leg above the other as she stared at her nephew.

“Jack wouldn’t have done that math that fast and you _know_ that, Aunt Laura,” Elliot mentioned. “Not even with pen and paper,”

“Well, I’ve learned from the best,” Charlotte glanced at Fallon, who replied with one of the proudest smiles she had ever seen on her mother’s lips.

“Excuse me for a moment here,” Fallon took a step forward, placing one hand on the back of Charlotte’s chair. “She might be eight,”

“Almost nine,” she corrected.

“Almost nine,” the brunette chuckled, “but she’s crazy good at math and you don’t want to make yourself feel bad, do you, Nathan?” She questioned. “That you need a calculator to do the math she just did in her head in what? Two or three minutes?”

“I’m a fast learner,” Charlotte informed while looking at every family member gathered around the large table. “I also love numbers,” she offered them an ear to ear smile.

“Can I have her?” Jamison exclaimed before anyone had a chance to speak their minds about what the youngest Van Kirk had just done. “We could _so_ use that brain down at the financial floor,”

“You’re only saying that because she told everyone your team brings more to this company than mine,” Edith groaned, letting out a frustrated and annoyed sign.

“I didn’t hear any lies though, Edith,” he countered.

“Why would she even work for you, Jamison?” Laura questioned with a frown. “If she ever comes to New York, why would she be a part of _your_ team and not her _grandmother’s_?”

“Okay, that’s enough,” Fallon intervened.

“No, mom, it’s okay, let me,” Charlotte threw her a reassuring smile. “I came to this one board meeting but I have other priorities that I need to focus on. School is crazy this time of the year, I have my own business to take care of and I even help mom on the weekends sometimes,” she explained. “All of that while making sure nothing terrible happens with my money in the stock market so maybe we should leave my mom in charge of VKI for a few years,”

“Who _is_ this girl?” Elliot asked confused. “You have your own business?”

“Yeah, I sell cookies,” she told him. “Mom! We should have brought them,” she sighed. “Sorry, Elliot, I will bring them next time. They’re too die for and the price is awesome! Beats most of those cookie shops out there,”

“Oh, I will definitely be waiting to try some of those cookies,” he replied softly.

“I have to admit, Fallon, you’ve done quite well with this one when it comes to business,” Laura confessed. “If only Liam was as interested as she is,” she rolled her eyes, shaking her head slightly from side to side in nothing but disappointment.

“Can we focus on the company now?” The eight year old asked. “Excuse me, Sir, but this is mine,” she spoke, leaning over the table to finally get her binder back from Nathan. “Do your own reports if you want to be taken seriously at a meeting,”

“Charlie... easy on the words,” Fallon whispered.

“Sorry, mom,” she muttered back.

“Can we please discuss how we’re going to divide the bonus amount this year?” Edith proposed.

“I believe we were just about to discuss which project is going to get the extra five million of budget,” Elliot countered.

“This whole talk is taking us nowhere and I have a reservation at Eleven Madison Park that I cannot miss. You can discuss the boring details once I leave,” she mentioned. “It’s not like you actually hear what I have to say when it comes to them anyway,” she shrugged.

* * *

“How is your cake, princess?” Fallon asked, watching as Charlotte carefully ate the huge slice of German Chocolate cake in front of her.

“Divine!” The eight year old exclaimed.

Fallon couldn’t help but laugh at her when her daughter lifted her chin a little bit and she noticed how much chocolate had ended up on her nose and cheeks. Charlotte had requested a trip to Magnolia Bakery after the board meeting and she didn’t even hesitate to ask for a slice of one of their specialty cakes - a rich, sweet chocolate cake layered with coconut caramel pecan filling.

“I’m so proud of you, Charlie,” she offered her a smile. “You have no idea,”

“Thanks, mom,” Charlotte replied before taking another piece of cake to her mouth. “Although I hope you know this was an one time thing,”

“I actually _want_ this to be an one time thing, princess,” Fallon’s tone quickly turned into a more serious one. “You’re eight years old, Charlie. You’re supposed to be playing with toys, your sister, your dog... not focusing on the family business,” she explained. “I know you only do it because you love it and you think it’s fun but I don’t want this kind of thing to be your priority at this age, baby girl,” she added softly. “Your school demands a lot and as much as I love to have you as my business sidekick, I want school to be your priority,”

“It is, mom,” she nodded. “You only let me come to New York with you, in the first place, because I didn’t have school today. It’s good to know I have so many options when I grow up... Carrington Atlantic, VKI, Fallon Unlimited...”

“I’m sure you will create a company of your own that will top all those three, princess,”

“Well, _that’s_ the goal, mom,” Charlotte rolled her eyes as if it was an obvious statement. “I would say my French is even better after that summer project I took at school and Uncle Sam says my Spanish is _perfecto_ and _impecable_!” She exclaimed the last few words, switching from English to Spanish mid-sentence. “Maybe I should start a new one?”

“Let’s focus on what you’ve already chosen for this year, okay?” Fallon suggested. “Our agreement is that you can only help with the family business during summer or on weekends that you don’t have to study, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember,” she sighed. “Especially after I got that A- in science,” she shook her head in frustration. “My first A-, what a disappointment to the family,” she rolled her eyes dramatically.

“A- is far from a bad grade, Charlie,” she mentioned, “but you’re aware that you only got that grade because you pretended to be studying for that midterm, when in reality you were working on the numbers of that week’s cookie profit,”

“Yeah... That was a _terrible_ decision,” Charlotte agreed. “I’ve learned my lesson, mom. Don’t worry,”

“You’re a great kid, princess. You’ve also proved how smart you are to everyone in that meeting today and they were all very impressed with what you can do but one thing at a time, okay? School first,”

“Those Van Kirk’s are _crazy_ , mom! How do you even handle them?” She questioned with a confused frown. “No wonder daddy changed his name,” she shrugged. “He’s by far the only sane soul in that family,”

“I would say your aunt is pretty sane too,” Fallon let out a soft giggle.

“She is, you’re right, but she’s still a stressed and do it all kind of woman,” Charlotte commented. “Kind of like you, mom, but no one is as calm and peaceful as dad. You’ve really lucked out with him, mom. Do you think there are others like him out there for me?”

“Since when are you interested in finding yourself a boyfriend, Miss Ridley?” She asked, throwing her daughter a surprised look as she leaned back against her chair and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“Not _now_ ,” she informed. “Daddy says I can’t have one until I’m thirty but Uncle Sam said eighteen should be fine,”

“Does daddy know about that change of age?”

“No, not yet,” she murmured. “I’m still working on my arguments so I can convince him. How old were you when _you_ started dating, mommy?”

“Nineteen,” Fallon replied without even blinking.

“We both know that is a lie, Mrs. Ridley,” Charlotte eyed her suspiciously. “You shouldn’t lie to your daughter, you know?” She teased her mother. “I will just have to ask grandpa about the veracity of that response,” she shrugged nonchalantly.

“I’m sure his answer will be exactly like mine,” she informed, avoiding her daughter’s blue eyes at all costs as to not give in to her charms.

“Yeah, well,” Charlotte paused. “We will see about that,”

“I thought you were working on how you’re going to ask daddy if it’s okay for us to stay here for the rest of the weekend?” Fallon questioned as she tried to change the subject of their conversation.

“He’s not going to say no to a weekend alone with Ollie, mom,” she responded. “He will probably build the camping tent in our backyard so they can camp and sleep outside with the bugs and trees,”

“You’re still going to have to ask him, Charlotte,” her tone was firm. “We told him we would fly back later this afternoon and if you want to stay here in New York, you need to ask if he’s okay with it,”

“I will call him as soon as I finish my cake,” Charlotte replied before raising the white mug to her lips to take a sip of her latte.

* * *

_“Chalie!”_ The three year old screamed as soon as her sister’s face appeared on the iPad screen.

“Ollie!” Charlotte exclaimed, just as loud. She was lying on her stomach on the large bed of their hotel room, still wearing one of the bathrobes she had found in the bathroom and her feet up in the air as she waited for Fallon to finish her shower.

 _“What you doing?”_ Olivia asked.

“Just waiting for mom,” she rolled her eyes.

_“Where is she?”_

“In the shower,” Charlotte replied. “Why are you asking so many questions, Ollie?” She frowned. “Does daddy know you have his iPad?”

 _“You have mommy’s phone,”_ the blonde girl shrugged.

“I’m _allowed_ to have mom’s phone,” she countered.

 _“I’m allowed to have daddy’s iPad,”_ Olivia replied, copying her sister’s words. _“You going out?”_

“Yeah,” Charlotte nodded. “Mom got us a brunch reservation in Soho and then we will probably do some shopping,” she told Olivia. “Oh my god, it’s almost ten o’clock and mom is still in the shower!” Her eyes widened. “Just a second, Ollie,” she requested. “MOM!” She screamed. “We’re going to be late!”

 _“That won’t make mom go fastey,”_ she shrugged again.

“What are you and daddy doing today?”

 _“We went to the pawk!”_ Olivia exclaimed.

“Already?” Charlotte asked surprised. “How do you people wake up so early on Saturdays?”

 _“Beats me,”_ the three year old shook her head. _“Want to see what we got?”_

“Lots of ice cream?” She couldn’t help but laugh at the look of excitement that appeared on her sister’s face as soon as the words left her lips.

 _“No,”_ Olivia murmured. _“Daddy allowed only one,”_

“What did you two get then?” Charlotte could only guess Olivia had jumped off the couch and was holding the iPad with one hand, her fingers gripping tightly onto one of the pink handles of the shock proof case as she ran into the kitchen. “Ollie, you’re making me dizzy with all of that shaking!” She complained when all she could see was their furniture sideways and sometimes even upside down.

 _“Liv, where did you get my iPad?”_ She heard her father’s voice.

 _“Couch,”_ she replied shortly, walking past him so she could get to the far end of the kitchen. _“I’m going to show Lilo to_ Chalie _,”_

“Lilo?” Charlotte questioned. “Who is Lilo?”

 _“Can I talk to your sister, pumpkin?”_ Liam asked as he tried to reach for the iPad in her hand.

 _“No,”_ Olivia groaned. _“We need to show Lilo to Chalie,”_ she repeated.

“Oh my god, who is Lilo?” The eight year old exclaimed. “Dad, tell me Ollie did _not_ bring another chipmunk to the house!” She begged. “Oh my god, dad, tell me you didn’t _allow_ Ollie to keep that weird animal in our home!” She added, raising her tone. “Mom! We have an emergency!” She screamed, rolling to the edge of the mattress so she could jump off the bed.

 _“Not a_ chimpunk _,”_

 _“It’s chipmunk, pumpkin,”_ Liam corrected her, letting out a soft chuckle at his daughter’s misspelling.

 _“Dad, tun the camewa,”_ Olivia requested.

“OH MY GOD!” Charlotte’s eyes widened when she saw the animal on the screen and ended up losing her balance when she didn’t notice her foot getting stuck in one of the sheets that had fallen on the floor.

“What happened?!” Fallon rushed out of the bathroom as soon as she heard the loud thud of something falling on the floor, her bathrobe open and her hair still soaked wet.

 _“This is Lilo,_ Chalie _,”_ the youngest Ridley spoke before realizing Charlotte was no longer on the screen. All she could see was what seemed to be a white ceiling. _“Chalie?”_ She frowned in confusion. _“_ Whewe _did you go?”_

“Who is Lilo?” The brunette asked when she heard her toddler’s soft voice echoing around the room.

“Daddy and Ollie got a puppy!”

“They did what?!” Fallon screamed, quickly reaching for the phone that had flown across the room when Charlotte fell on the floor. Sitting down on the floor, she raised her hand and held the iPhone in front of her face.

 _“Hi mommy!”_ Olivia exclaimed when her mother’s face filled the iPad screen. _“Meet Lilo,_ you _new_ daughtey _!”_ She smiled brightly before raising the small puppy in front of the camera, just like she had seen hundreds of time in The Lion King, as Liam held the device in front of her.

“Liam, you have some explaining to do!”

“Let me see the puppy!” Charlotte requested, running towards her mother after throwing the sheet back on the bed.

 _“C’mon, Fal, we’ve been talking about getting Olivia a dog ever since we came back from Europe,”_ Liam spoke up.

“I don’t remember us reaching a decision,” she murmured. “All we said was that we would start considering it after we got back from our wedding vows renewal,”

_“Hold on, let me switch to the back camera,”_

“Aww!” The younger brunette exclaimed, giggling in excitement as she sat down on Fallon’s legs so she could stand in front of the camera as well. “They look so cute together!” She mentioned, watching as Lilo drank water from the white bowl as Daisy ate her dog food right next to her.

“Liam, how old is that puppy?” Fallon asked.

 _“Two months, mommy!”_ Olivia replied right away.

“And she’s Daisy’s size?”

“Oh my god, she’s going to be huge!” Charlotte exclaimed.

 _“It’s a Saint Bey-“_ the three year old started but quickly looked up at her father when she couldn’t remember the rest of the word.

“A Saint Bernard, pumpkin,” Liam offered her a smile. “Liv, can you tell mom and Charlie what you had for breakfast this morning?”

 _“Banana, apple, mango and_ bewies _!”_ She responded before leaning closer to the camera, filling Fallon and Charlotte’s screen with nothing but her eyes and forehead.

_“What else?”_

_“Eggs and toast too!”_

“Wow, that’s a lot of food, Ollie,” Charlotte commented.

 _“She’s been eating well, Fal. Some days she still won’t eat a thing but she’s been on this diet for months now and she’s come so far, babe,”_ Liam mentioned. _“We went to the park this morning and there was a family with four puppies near the lake. Their boy was probably a little bit older than Charlie is and he was asking everyone that walked by if they wanted a puppy because they couldn’t keep them all,”_

“Oh no!” The eight year old mumbled.

 _“Olivia fell in love with this one right away and the man, Paul, told me all about the puppies. They live in a small house and they already have two dogs, the mom and dad of the puppies, and they were keeping one of them,”_ he explained. _“Apparently they got six puppies and some cousin had already chosen one but they still needed to find a nice home for the other four,”_

“You should have taken all of them!” Charlotte exclaimed. She was most certainly even more excited than Olivia about the newest member of the Ridley family.

 _“They are purebred Saint Bernard’s and they’ve already had all of their first shots. They just wanted to find a home for them, they weren’t even asking for a single dime,”_ Liam told them.

“Daddy paid though,” Olivia mentioned.

 _“Not everyone lives in a big house and not everyone can take care of a dog like this, pumpkin,”_ he turned toward his three year old. _“I gave them some money to help with the expenses of the other dogs until they find them a nice home,”_

“I only have one condition,” Fallon began.

 _“She’s not allowed on the couch or the bed?”_ Liam replied.

“Exactly. Glad you’re already very aware of that,”

_“Ollie and I will head to the pet store after lunch to get her a bed, a leash, some toys and everything else Lilo might need,”_

_“Daddy, she’s eating Daisy’s food!”_ Olivia asked, both worried and concerned about their bulldog.

_“It’s okay, Liv, they’re sharing,”_

“I still can’t believe you got her a dog!” Fallon shook her head in disbelief.

 _“You got Charlotte a Prada bag!”_ Liam countered.

“Yeah, Liam, that’s the exactly same thing because that Prada bag will grow to be the size of a pony in a couple of months and will cover our house with fur,” she rolled her eyes. “Not to mention that we didn’t plan on staying here this weekend so we had to buy ourselves some clothes,”

_“I don’t see why Charlotte would need a handbag for a weekend in New York,”_

“Where would I carry my stuff, daddy?”

 _“In the YSL handbag you wore to the VKI board meeting yesterday?”_ He frowned.

“Mom, there’s a legend that says Saint Bernard’s carried a small barrel of whiskey around their necks to aid stranded travellers that were lost in the snow and needed something to warm them up before they could get medical assistance,” Charlotte explained, quickly changing the subject. “We can get Lilo one of those barrels and she can offer you drinks!” She looked up at her mother. “You won’t ever have to pour yourself a drink anymore,” she smiled brightly. “Oh my god, we can also train her to be like Nana from Peter Pan! I don’t need a nanny anymore because I’m almost nine but she could be Ollie’s nanny! She could bring her medicine when she’s sick and breakfast in bed or help Ollie change into her clothes… oh I’m so excited!”

 _“If you think about it, Charlie,”_ Liam spoke. _“If she brings mom whiskey, she would be acting as mommy’s nanny too,”_

“Oh my god, dad, that’s hilarious!” She burst out laughing. “Mommy would have a nanny! You’re so funny, dad!”

“You two are so funny,” Fallon murmured sarcastically. “I’m laughing so hard,” she mocked them. “Where did the name Lilo came from, by the way?”

 _“Olivia took her to her bedroom to choose a toy and the first one she chose was that small Stitch that falls of her bed every single night,”_ he explained. _“Liv wanted to call her Boo but thankfully, she changed the name to Lilo once the dog started playing with the stuffed Stitch,”_

“Boo is a cute character but can you imagine calling a dog Boo?” Charlotte asked. “Too weird,” she chuckled.

“Liam, Charlie and I here need to get changed so we don’t miss our reservation. We will talk later, okay?” Fallon suggested. “Please, don’t let that dog eat anything she’s not supposed to!”

_“Everything is under control here, I promise!”_

“Dad, tell Daisy that I love her with all of my heart and that none of us will love her any less because of Lilo,” the eight year old requested, taking the phone from her mother’s hand so Fallon could stand up.

 _“I will, princess, don’t worry,”_ Liam offered her a smile. _“They are getting along very well so you have nothing to worry about, okay?”_

“Okay,” Charlotte replied. “Oh dad, I need to show you the gift grandma gave me! She showed up at our hotel last night just to give me a gift, can you believe that?”

“Charlie, show him your pen but then say goodbye to your dad and sister so you can get ready, okay?”

“Okay, mom,”

“Bye Liam, bye baby girl!” Fallon blew a couple of kisses to the camera. “I love you two very much!”

 _“We love you!”_ Olivia waved her goodbye before turning back towards the dogs.

“Okay, dad, I need to show you this real quick,” Charlotte placed the black box on the bed before switching to the back camera. “Look at how pretty this pen is!” She opened the box with one hand then reached for the [Mont Blanc pen](https://www.montblanc.com/en-us/fountain-pens_cod34480784411766993.html).

It was a Le Petit Prince Doué Classique fountain pen with burgundy lacquer, finished with a handcrafted 18K champagne-tone gold-coated nib adorned with the classic and signature Petit Prince's rose drawing.

“It’s so pretty, princess!” Liam exclaimed.

“Right?” She replied. "Look at the stars, daddy! They shine even brighter when I hold the pen under the light," she told him. "Grandma said that it’s important to have a special pen when you’re in the business world,”

“It is,” Liam nodded. “You have to be very careful with that one though. So you don’t break it,”

“Oh, I will be very careful, dad. Mom says I can sign my school reports with it until I’m old enough to sign my own business deals,”

“That sounds like a plan, princess,” he offered her a smile. “Did you thank your grandmother properly?”

“Of course I did,” Charlotte informed.

“Good. I will give her a call later today but now you should go get dressed, Miss Ridley,” Liam suggested. “Have fun at brunch with mom and try not to spend too much on your shopping spree this afternoon, okay?”

“Okay, daddy,” she giggled softly. “Bye daddy, bye Ollie! I love you,” she added. “Don’t forget to tell Daisy how much I love her,”

“I won’t, princess,” he chuckled. “Love you,” he blew her a kiss before ending the facetime call.

“Charlie, now put that pen back in your suitcase and go put some clothes on!” Fallon yelled from the bathroom.

“No need to tell me twice,” Charlotte murmured, carefully placing her pen back inside its velvet box before walking towards her suitcase.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked some more of business Charlie... also, Charlie and Fallon alone in NY? I'm sure that's a disaster just waiting to happen. But then, in how much trouble did Liam and Ollie get themselves in bringing another dog to the house?
> 
> Let me know your thoughts!!


	35. The Red Dress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... here comes the chapter everyone's been waiting for!
> 
> This started as a prompt by Carolina but I'm pretty sure everyone is going to fall in love for it!
> 
> There are visuals for it, linked in the story! Make sure to click on it so you can watch the video while reading to the scene!

“This not _fai_ ,” Charlotte plopped down on the large beanbag, crossing her arms against her chest as most of her small body was suddenly enveloped by the pink fabric. “No want to go,” she sighed heavily, avoiding her mother’s arms and looking down at her feet, a pout on her lips and a frown on her forehead as she refused to even move.

“So mommy and daddy can’t go out on a date?” Fallon questioned. “Just because you don’t want to stay with Uncle Sam tonight?”

“I go too,” she murmured.

“It’s Valentine’s Day, princess. Tonight is a special night for couples... it’s the kind of night that you do something that you don’t usually do with your loved one, like going to a fancier restaurant or staying at a five star hotel for the night,” she explained, crouching down in front of Charlotte while still holding the outfit she had chosen for her daughter.

“You _always_ go fancy _westauwants_ ,” Charlotte stared at her mother, the upset and disappointed pout still evident on her lips. “And five _staws_ _wotels_ ,” she reminded her. “That’s not special,” letting out another heavy sigh, she turned around on the beanbag until she was lying on her stomach, her face buried in the soft fabric in an extremely dramatic attempt of getting her mother to agree to her suggestion of taking her out with them for dinner.

“Charlotte Grace, what kind of behavior is this?” Fallon raised her tone. “Why can’t mommy and daddy have a date night tonight? You’ve never complained about staying with Uncle Sam, princess, not even once,”

“Daddy _pwomise_ _me_ date,” she replied, her words totally muffled as she spoke directly against the beanbag.

“I didn’t hear you,” she spoke while standing back up. “Are you going to turn around so you can speak properly to your mother or should I just carry you to the most boring guest room of the house for a one hour time out?”

“Daddy _pwomise_ me date,” Charlotte repeated, raising her head to speak. “But he _fowgot_ me,” she mentioned before throwing her face against the beanbag again.

“If he promised you a date then he’s going to take you out on a date, Charlotte,” Fallon told her. “Tonight is just a different night, princess. I’m sure he’s planning a nice date for the two of you, okay? It might be some other night but I’m sure daddy hasn’t forgotten about you,”

“You _mowe impowtant_ ,” she mumbled.

“Oh dear god,” the older brunette sighed. She couldn’t tell if it was out of anger or frustration but she was quickly running out of patience. “Charlotte, mommy’s not happy with this behavior of yours. You might be only two years old but you know exactly what you’re doing and this whole drama is not going to work with me, young lady,” she spoke firmly. “Are you going to get up and dress in the outfit I chose for you or are you going to the guest room?”

“ _Hewe_ ,” Charlotte patted one of the sides of the beanbag.

“Well, have a good night then,” Fallon threw the small outfit on the bed then turned around to head towards the door, hoping the sound of her heels clicking against the hardwood floor, just about to leave the bedroom, would make her daughter reconsider her choice and get up. “I will be at the restaurant with your dad and we will be back late. If you need anything, you can ask your uncle,” she mentioned before finally stepping out of the two year old’s bedroom.

“Mommy?” She asked, her voice low as she sat up and looked around the bedroom in search of her mother. “Mommy?” Suddenly, she could feel the tears starting to pool in her eyes when she noticed the door was open and her mother was nowhere to be seen. “I’m _sowy_ ,” she murmured almost incoherently.

Charlotte was wearing nothing but her Frozen underwear, having left the shower only a few minutes back and then refusing to dress in the outfit Fallon had picked out for her. Placing both hands on the floor, she pushed herself up to stand on her feet and ran out of her bedroom.

“Mommy!” The two year old screamed. “Come back!” She added, looking around as she walked down the hallway of the mansion. “Mommy?” She called out for Fallon again when she reached the stairs, holding onto the top bar of the baby gate while staring down at the wide staircase in front of her.

“What are you doing there, Miss Ridley?” Sam asked as he walked up to the second floor.

“You see mommy?” Charlotte asked.

“Yeah, she just left,” he replied. “She also mentioned someone wasn’t behaving very well so I guess there won’t be any ice cream for dessert tonight,”

“I’m _sowy_ ,” she pouted.

“You should be apologizing to her, Charlie, not to me,” he explained.

“She left...” Charlotte mumbled before turning on her heels to head back to her bedroom.

“Maybe you could call her?” Sam suggested.

“Mommy no _answey_. She mad,” she replied, staring down at her bare feet and Sam could only chuckle at her response, wondering how a two year old could even understand what those words even meant.

“She might if she thinks you’re going to apologize to her,” he shrugged, pushing the small blue button on the top bar to open the gate. “You want to give it a shot?” He asked, pulling his phone out if the front pocket of his pants once he finally reached the second floor.

“Okay,” Charlotte nodded.

Holding onto the green phone app, Sam easily accessed his list of Favorites then tapped Fallon’s name to initiate the call. As it started to ring, he put the phone on speaker and the sound quickly echoed around the hallway.

“See,” the two year old shrugged. “No _answey_ ,”

“Sam, you’ve been alone for five minutes. What could possibly be wrong?” Charlotte’s eyes sparkled as soon as she heard her mother’s voice.

“It’s me, mommy,” she spoke.

“I thought you might still be on that beanbag acting as a drama queen,” Fallon mentioned.

“Fallon...” They heard Liam say, his voice a bit muffled from being a bit far from the phone.

“I’m _sowy_ , mommy,” Charlotte apologized. “I’m _sowy,_ ”

“Mommy’s pretty upset, princess. You’re such a caring and sweet baby girl but you were quite rude to mommy,” she explained.

“ _Sowy_ , mommy, _vewy vewy sowy_ ,” the two year old insisted, her body jumping off the floor as a loud hiccup escaped her lungs. “ _Fowgive_ me,” she begged once the tears started to roll down her cheeks.

“I forgive you, Charlie. There’s no need to cry, princess, mommy forgives you,” Fallon spoke softly.

“You come back?” Charlotte asked, glancing between Sam and the phone in his hand.

“Like I told you earlier, princess, daddy and I are celebrating in a very special way tonight,” she reminded her. “I’m sure Uncle Sam planned a fun night for the two of you but you have to be nice to him, okay?”

“Okay, mama,” she nodded, rubbing her fists against her teary eyes.

“Will you let Uncle Sam dress you? Before he takes you down for dinner?”

“Yes,” she nodded again.

“Good girl. Mommy needs to hang up now but she loves you very much, okay?” Fallon added.

“Love you too, mommy,” Charlotte replied. “Bye, mama,” she murmured, looking up at Sam to let him know he could end the call.

“Come on, chiquitita, let’s get you dressed,” Sam spoke, pushing his phone back into his pocket before taking Charlotte’s hand in his.

“I’m _hungwy_ ,” she commented as they walked into her bedroom.

“This will just take a minute, Charlie,” he informed, taking the black sweatpants from the bed before crouching down on the floor to hold it out for her.

Taking a step forward, Charlotte held onto his shoulders then carefully slid one foot through each leg until he could pull the sweatpants up and tie the small bow around her waist. Sam then reached for the light pink hoodie Fallon had also picked out, slipping it through her head as she held her arms up in the air.

“Would you like to choose a slipper before we head down?” Sam suggested.

“Bunny,” she told him.

“Bugs Bunny it is,” he mentioned, stepping into her walk in closet to get the famous cartoon character slippers.

“No love _foy_ Uncle Sam?” Charlotte asked, raising one foot at a time so he could help her put the slippers on. “Tonight special,” she shrugged.

“He’s busy tonight, chiquitita,” Sam replied as they walked hand in hand towards the stairs.

“Daddy too,” she murmured. “He _pwomise_ me date,” she looked up at him, waiting for him to open the baby gate, “but tonight he want mommy,”

“That’s because tonight is the night you spend with your valentine, Charlie,” he explained, tightening the grip on her hand as they started to make their way down the stairs.

“I valentine too,” Charlotte pouted before jumping the last two steps of the stairs to get to the first floor.

“But tonight you would have to share your dad with your mom,” Sam mentioned. “Don’t you prefer to have him all by yourself?”

“ _Whewe_ we going?” She asked confused, frowning when they started heading opposite of the kitchen.

“Remember how your mom told you that tonight is a pretty special night?” She nodded. “Well, your mom and dad have already had a few Valentine’s Days, just the two of them, so this year they decided to do something a little different,”

“Why?” She questioned, throwing him another confused look as she paid careful attention to his hand moving towards the knob that led to one of the living rooms they mostly only used for parties and other large gatherings.

“Not allowed _thewe_ ,” Charlotte told Sam, letting go of his hand and taking both of her small palms to cover her face in fear as he opened the door. She knew she wasn’t supposed to enter that room and she had already made her mother quite upset that night. “No go!” She exclaimed, placing her hands right in front of her eyes as not to see what would be on the other side of the door.

“Charlie, everything okay?” Her eyes widened in shock behind her tiny hands when she heard the familiar voice of her father.

“You in _twouble_!” Charlotte whispered. “Daddy mad!”

“Open your eyes, princess,” Liam requested, taking a step forward before wrapping his fingers gently around her wrists. “Come on,” he spoke softly as he slowly lowered her arms.

“Wow!” Her eyes immediately sparkled when she noticed Liam standing right in front of her, wearing one of his best suits and a bright smile on his lips.

“Well, Charlie, it’s been a pleasure but I’m afraid this is my cue to leave,” Sam mentioned while running a hand through the brown waves of her hair. “Enjoy your Valentine’s Day, chiquitita,” he offered her a smile, bending over to place a kiss on the top of her head before heading towards the front door.

“What’s this, daddy?” Charlotte asked as Liam guided her into the room. The two year old looked more and more surprised at every second, the further they walked into the special set up that both Liam and Fallon had prepared for that night.

All of the lights were off but there were candles all over the large room, providing the living room with a dimly lit atmosphere that only made the ambiance cozier and even more romantic. In the middle of the room, there was a small table covered by a beautiful white linen tablecloth, already set up with three sets of plates and silver cutlery - two of the sets paired with two beautiful crystals glasses, one for wine and the other one for water, while the other set was paired with a pink sippy cup.

As Charlotte slowly took in all of the details around her, the only sound that could be heard in the wide living room came from the soft crackling of the fireplace a few feet from where they were currently standing.

Not only was the living room covered with candles of all sizes and shapes, each one with its singular and beautiful flame, but there were also red roses petals scattered all over the floor. The soft petals of bright red matched perfectly the roses that filled dozens of crystal vases around the room.

“A rose for the lady,” Liam spoke softly, picking out one of the roses from its vase. The one he had positioned strategically inside that specific base. The one which stem he had examined every inch of so there wouldn’t be a single thorns left that would hurt the soft and delicate hands of his two year old.

“Thanks, daddy,” Charlotte offered him a wide smile as she accepted the flower. “ _Whewe_ mommy?”

“Right here,” Fallon walked through one of the other doors that led to the living room, her heels clicking loudly against the floor and that Charlotte would recognize anywhere in the world. The beautiful Dolce & Gabbana Bustier Tulle Midi Dress that she had worn on one of the most important nights she had shared with her husband in all those years they had been together.

“The _dwess_!” The two year old screamed as soon as she laid eyes on her mother, who was approaching them in a different dress than Charlotte had seen on her up in her bedroom only about half an hour back. “Daddy! The _wed dwess_!” She exclaimed, her jaw falling to the floor and her eyes tearing up for what was probably the third time that night.

Charlotte had found a couple of photos from Fallon and Liam’s engagement party three weeks back, when she was looking through the photos in her mother’s phone and she had been completely and utterly obsessed with the red dress her mother was wearing. Ever since then, the _“most pwettiest dwess”_ she had ever seen, as Charlotte liked to call it, had been the subject of at least two of their conversations every single day.

However, no matter how many times Charlotte had begged her mother to show her the dress, Fallon had always managed to find an excuse not to pull the dress out of the deep end of her closet as Liam had already come up with the perfect plan and opportunity.

For the past three weeks, they had been planning the most incredible night for their baby girl. A night that was supposed to be their night, a night that was supposed to be for couples and couples alone but a night that would be even more special that year because on that February 14th, they would give their daughter the fairytale she had been dreaming off for almost a month.

“Do you like it?” She asked before spinning around, the bright red tulle of the Dolce & Gabbana dress flying around her at the movement.

“Mommy a _pwincess_!” Charlotte murmured, glancing at her father for a moment before turning back towards Fallon as her cheeks turned as red as her mother’s dress and tears streamed down her face. “So _pwetty_!”

“Why are you crying, baby?” Liam placed his hands on her waist and pulled her off the floor, settling her against the right side of his body before placing a long kiss on her forehead.

“It’s the _dwess_ , daddy,” she moaned, snuggling against him and resting her head on his shoulder as she cried. “Mommy _weawing_ the _dwess_ , daddy,” she repeated.

“She is, princess. Mommy is wearing that dress for you,” he told her. “She also has a surprise for you, right, mommy?” He turned towards his wife.

“I do,” Fallon nodded before finally revealing what she had been holding behind her back since she stepped into the living room. “What do you think, Charlie?” She asked, taking a couple of steps forward until she was standing right in front of them while showing Charlotte the red dress on the small black hanger.

“A tiny _dwess_?” Her eyes sparkled at the small piece of clothing.

The top of the dress resembled a long sleeved sweater made out entirely of a dark red shinny velvet fabric, while the skirt consisted basically of a brighter and lighter red tutu with a tulle that had tiny hints of glitter all over it. It was the perfect replica of Fallon’s dress, one that they had gotten specially made for Charlotte.

“It’s your own version of mommy’s red dress, princess,” Liam informed her. “So you can look _exactly_ like mommy tonight but since it’s yours, you can wear it whenever you want too,” he offered her a smile.

“My _own_ _wed dwess_?” Charlotte asked, jumping in his arms and making a funny yet adorable sound when a hiccup escaped her lips in between the crying. “This too much,” she shook her head swiftly from one side to the other.

“What do you say we change into this dress?” Fallon suggested. “I’m sure you’re going to be the prettiest girl in this room,” she spoke softly.

“You the _pwettiest giwl_ ,” the two year old mumbled.

“I’m not so sure about that, Charlie,” Liam whispered in her ear. “I actually like your dress a lot more, you know?” He added in the lowest possible tone, covering his lips to pretend it was a huge secret even though he knew Fallon could listen to what he was saying by the wide smile she had on her lips. “I would say you’re going to look even more stunning than mommy tonight, princess,”

“Help me, mama,” Charlotte requested while extending her arms towards Fallon.

“Of course, baby,”

Once Liam settled her on the floor, she stood in front of Fallon and remained completely still while her mother removed her clothes. As Fallon helped her put on the dress, Liam walked across the room and quickly returned with a small black box.

“What’s that?” She asked out of curiosity while slipping her arm through one of the sleeves that Fallon was holding out for her.

“Your shoes,” he mentioned, pulling a pair of red flats from the box.

“Wow!” Charlotte replied, throwing herself on the floor once she was dressed so she could hang her feet up in the air. “ _Wed_ shoes too!” She spoke in excitement as she jiggled her feet in front of them and they couldn’t help but chuckle at her instant reaction.

Taking the shoes from her husband’s hand, Fallon placed them carefully on their daughter’s feet before tying the red satin ribbons on the top in two delicate bows.

“Oh my god,” Liam covered his mouth with his hand when Charlotte stood up on her feet. “You are simply stunning!” He exclaimed. “Can you twirl for daddy?”

“Of _couwse_!” She threw her arms up in the air, twirling as she looked down at her skirt to check if it had the same flying effect from her mother’s dress.

“Easy, princess,” Fallon laughed, quickly reaching for Charlotte’s arm when she almost fell to her right at the dizziness. “Babe, can you hand me the box, please?” She requested. “Now, Charlotte, there’s one more thing mommy wants to give you as a Valentine’s day gift,”

“Okay,” the toddler nodded, wondering what could be better than her own red dress.

“Mommy used this bag that night,” she began, taking the unique Duchess Domino Hard Clutch bag out of the box before holding it with both her hands. “I want you to have it so tonight you can look exactly like mommy looked that night,” she explained as she offered her daughter the clutch. “Here, princess, it’s yours,”

“Mine?” She asked. “Mine mine?”

“It’s yours if you promise to take very good care of it,”

“I _pwomise_ ,” she nodded.

“Then it’s yours, princess. For good,” Fallon offered her a smile, her own blue eyes filling with tears when she noticed the ear to ear smile on her daughter’s face.

“Domino,” Charlotte mentioned, tracing her thumb across the red dots that formed the five end of the domino piece in the shape of an X.

“Look inside, baby,” Liam suggested.

Fallon was just about to reach for the clutch to help her open it when Charlotte unlocked it all by herself, revealing a lipstick and a small eyeshadow inside it.

“Now to the final touch,” Fallon spoke up. “A tiny bit of eyeshadow,” she gathered some of the make up on her index finger before applying it softly across Charlotte’s eyelids. “And a pretty lipstick,” she mentioned, removing the cap of one of her lightest lipsticks so she could run it over her daughter’s lips. “Now you’re ready!” She exclaimed.

["How do I look?"](https://www.instagram.com/p/CBz4cR3FsCr/) Charlotte asked, turning around so her mother could see her entire outfit.

"Perfect," she offered her daughter a smile.

“Actually,” Liam started, getting both girls to look at him.

He glanced at Fallon as she stood back up and she knew immediately what he was going to do. Trying to be as subtle as possible so Charlotte wouldn’t notice, she started walking backwards until she was standing near the table, a couple of feet away from them as she noticed his hand slipping into one of the inner pockets of his jacket.

Charlotte was staring deeply at him and she let out a loud gasp when he got down on one knee right in front of her and her blue eyes met his matching ones. The two year old took a step forward without even realizing and her eyes practically jumped out of their sockets when Liam opened the small black velvet box he was holding. He could actually see the sparkles in the bright ocean blue of her eyes when she spotted the ring inside - a tiny ring made out of 18k gold with a rectangular shaped peach diamond on top of it.

“Charlotte Grace Ridley, will you be my valentine?” Liam asked as a tear rolled down his cheek.

“Mommy _youy_ valentine,” Charlotte murmured, turning around in search of her mother.

“Not tonight, princess,” Fallon offered her a smile.

“What do you say?”

“Yes, daddy!” The two year old exclaimed before throwing herself at her father. “My valentine,” she added while wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Can I please have your hand, Miss Ridley?” Liam requested.

“Which one?”

“This one is fine,” he replied, reaching for her left hand so he could slid the small replica of Fallon’s engagement ring on her finger. “ _Now_ you’re ready, princess,” he told her.

“Let’s make a toast,” Fallon suggested, handing Liam a champagne flute before handing one to Charlotte. “You have to hold it tight, princess,” she instructed, placing her hands above hers so she would wrap her fingers tightly around the thin glass.

“Bubbles,” Charlotte giggled at the sparkling water inside her glass as she waited for her mother’s following instructions. “ _Watey_ bubbles,” she laughed.

“Here’s a toast to the most beautiful little girl in this room. The little girl who turned our lives upside down, the little girl who taught us how to be our best selves and the little girl who showed us what true love really is,” Fallon began. “I used to say daddy was the best thing that has ever happened to me, princess, but that’s not exactly true anymore,”

“ _You_ are the best thing that has ever happened to us, baby,” Liam complemented. “Tonight might be all about couples but you’re the love of my life, princess,”

“You’re the love of my life too,” the brunette offered her a smile. “Will you be my valentine too, princess?”

“Yes, mommy, we can _shawe_ ,” Charlotte giggled softly.

“Cheers,” Liam clicked his glass with Fallon’s before they both turned towards their daughter, watching as she carefully raised her glass towards theirs, even though Liam was keeping one hand a few inches below her glass to make sure she wouldn’t drop it on the floor.

“Now what?” The two year old asked with a shrug after taking a sip of the sparkling water.

“Now daddy is going to head to the kitchen to grab our dinner,” he informed. “Then we will sit down and enjoy our date, okay? All three of us,”

“Okay,” Charlotte nodded. “We dance, mommy,” she requested, taking one of Fallon’s hand in hers while shaking her entire body.

“Dance, baby?” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh.

[“Yeah, dance,”](https://www.instagram.com/tv/B8jsCTeljWk/) she repeated before reaching for Fallon’s other hand. “Move, mama,”

“Like this?” She questioned, shaking her body as she tried to copy the random and awkward dance moves her daughter was coming up with.

“Yes,” Charlotte replied, letting out a loud laugh that filled the entire room just as Liam was about to leave.

Instead of walking through the door, he decided to stare at them for a few minutes instead. All he could do was watch as his wife and daughter danced in front of the fireplace, matching the dance of its bright orange flames against the firewood. Their hands locked in each other’s as they both shook their bodies, trying to copy what the other was doing.

They didn’t have to wear the same dress or even have the same dance moves for him to know that Charlotte was her mother through and through. He could see it every morning in his daughter’s eyes, when she greeted him good morning with the same blue eyes that he had fallen in love with so many years back. He could see it in every sassy remark she threw at him and he could see it in the smile she offered him dozens of times throughout the day.

It was no surprise to him that Charlotte wanted to be exactly like her mother and if they managed to raise her into being the best version of Fallon, maybe with a tiny bit of him as well, that’s when he would be able to affirm that they had done their job. The beginning of that night had only proved how much she wanted to be like her mother and Liam could feel his heart melting at the scene in front of him.

Fallon and Charlotte were apparently having their time of their lives but they had no idea of what was playing in his head at that moment. They would never be able to see through his eyes, to see what was happening right in front of him so Liam pulled his phone out of his pocket and started recording them. It was most definitely one scene that he needed to keep forever, so he could watch it over and over again whenever he thought necessary.

Suddenly, as he held his phone sideways in front if him, his mind wandered back to the night of their engagement party and to every single thought and emotion that had been going through his head that night.

The night that Fallon admitted she had panicked over him having Connor in his life but also the night she finally accepted the fact that the love of her life had a ten year old son. The night she told him she could only hope that he had enough love for the both of them but more important than anything, the night that he confessed to thinking that he couldn’t be a father.

The longer he watched them dace around the living room, both wearing the exact same outfit and their laughs echoing around the living room, the more he knew that deep down, being a father was indeed the best thing that had ever happened to him.

While discovering that he did not have a son out in the world came as a relief to him, he never would have imagined that all those years later, he would end up on a night like that one. A night where they recreated and brought up the most important details from their engagement party to give their daughter the best night of her life.

Unlike that night, Liam didn’t have to wonder if he was capable of being a father and Fallon didn’t have to wonder if he had enough love to offer her and his kid. That night, he _knew_ being a father was the best thing in the world and she _knew_ that love wasn’t something you split or divide between human beings.

There is the way you love your partner and there is the way you love your child and if there was one thing their little girl had taught them, it was that your heart only grows bigger when you hold that tiny bundle of joy in your arms for the first time. While Liam had spent that night freaking out about the possibility of having Connor in his life, he had never once doubted himself about how to raise his baby girl.

It felt like he had spent his entire life scared that he would end up turning into his parents if he were ever to have children and he knew Fallon felt the exact same way. However, it only took a positive pregnancy test for them to realize that it was nothing but fear, nothing but their minds playing tricks on them.

It only took one word, in bold capital letters, right next to her name for them to realize they were the only ones responsible for their destiny. Not their parents, not their messed up families and most certainly not their past. _They_ were the only ones capable of writing what their future held for them and so far, there was simply nothing they would change in their journey because everything that had happened to them, every single bump in the road and every single challenge life threw at them was exactly what led them there.

Taking one more look at them before he finally stepped out of the living room, he glanced at Fallon for a brief moment then quickly turned towards Charlotte and he could help but smile at their two year old, shaking her butt for Fallon while the older brunette laughed loudly at her daughter’s boldness.

For years, Liam had been so scared about the thought of having kids that he had never bothered to even wonder about what it might feel to have one with the love of his life but that night, he _knew_. He knew exactly what it felt like as he watched the toddler twirl around the room, laughing as if there was no tomorrow. The baby girl that had come as a surprise to them but that had been made out of nothing but the great love they felt for each other.

However, fort the past two years and two months, to be exact, Liam didn’t have to wonder about anything because not only was he married to the love of his life but he also had the perfect replica of her in the most precious little girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it, or even better, LOVE it, because Falliam went big in this one! They really are the best parents Charlie could ever ask for, right?
> 
> I'm very excited to hear your thoughts about this one!!


	36. Of Lattes and Job Offers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, let me just say I consider this chapter something like a filler but I didn't want to skip this week's update so I hope you like this short piece.

Check out this story's [**visual content**.](https://www.instagram.com/p/B9Zz9o2laPD/?igshid=1s3fzxck883ot)

**.**

“How is your latte, princess?” Fallon asked when she looked up from the screen of her brand new iPhone to find the two year old holding the small paper cup against her lips with both hands.

“Delicious, mommy,” the toddler quickly responded, revealing her milk mustache before taking another sip of her hot drink.

It was early, not even eight in the morning, and they had stopped at a Starbucks on their way to Fallon Unlimited’s office since for some well-deserved coffee to start the day. Thankfully, it was quite empty, giving them the opportunity to sit and properly enjoy their drinks without the constant noise and rush from people trying to get their coffees as fast as possible before heading out to work.

Charlotte sat right in front of Fallon, babbling mostly incoherent words while drinking her decaffeinated latte as her mother replied to some e-mails she had gotten the day before. She wore cheetah pants, a light colored hoodie and her hair was up in messy bun, the gray bow on top of her head slightly out of place from the nap she had taken during the fifteen minute ride between their mansion and the coffee house.

“Milk, mama,” the two year old murmured.

“You have to eat your bagel too, Charlie,” Fallon mentioned, taking a small piece of the warm bagel still untouched inside the paper bag and offering it out to her. “C’mon, princess,” she added.

“ _Buttey_ ,” Charlotte pointed to the tiny butter next to the bagel.

Liam had an article due that night and he had barely even started it, having spent most of the past week dealing with a sick two year old - the weather changes between winter and spring making the little girl vulnerable enough to catch a bad cold. Although he tried his best to write during her naps, his mind was always somewhere else so eventually, he gave up, choosing to focus on his daughter and his daughter alone.

However, he had signed a deal with the online newspaper and had already received an advanced paycheck for the article. He knew he couldn’t just ignore it but he simply couldn’t concentrate, not even as his deadline approached.

He was sitting on their king sized bed the night before when Fallon got home from work, his back against the headboard and his laptop on his legs while he stared at a blank document, the only words on the screen being the title of the article and his own name right below it. Charlotte was sound asleep on Fallon’s side of the bed, her head buried in her mother’s pillow and the heavy blanket covering everything but her peaceful face.

_“I will watch her tomorrow. Lock yourself in your office if you have to, babe, but write this article,”_ Fallon had told him.

“Are you excited to work with mommy today?”

“I am,” Charlotte nodded, placing her cup on the small table between them so she could reach for the piece of bagel between her mother’s fingers.

“You want to go back to sleep, don’t you?” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh when she let out a long and loud yawn.

“I guess,” she whispered.

“You can sleep on mommy’s couch once we get to the office, okay?”

“Me _wowk_ with mommy,” Charlotte countered.

“Nap first, princess. You’re still sick and we don’t want that fever to come back,” Fallon told her. “That means you need to drink lots of water and take as many naps as your body requests,”

“ _Anothey_ latte, mama,” she requested when she took the paper cup up to her mouth, only to realize it was empty.

“One latte is enough for you, Miss Ridley,”

“ _Watey_ then,”

“Here,” Fallon pulled the red sippy cup out of the side pockets of the Gucci baby bag and handed it out to her.

“Excuse me,” a dark haired man, probably in his early thirties, spoke as he approached them. “I’ve been watching you two for a little while,”

Fallon instantly sat up, her body leaving the back of the armchair in a swift movement as she prepared herself to grab Charlotte as fast as possible, her heart racing at the thought of the man possibly taking her daughter from right under her nose.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he quickly apologized when he noticed the panic in the brunette’s eyes as she grabbed onto the baby girl’s knee. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m Mark,” he added, offering her a business card. “Mark Delmer,”

“Modeling agency?” Fallon questioned, a frown evident on her face as her eyes scanned the man’s card.

“My company is doing the summer collection shoot for Disney and I was wondering if you’d be interested in signing your daughter up for it?” Mark asked.

“I’m…” She paused, her maternal instincts forcing her to push herself off the armchair and stand up. “I’m not interested,” she offered him a polite smile before taking her daughter in her arms.

“Mommy, my _watey_ ,” Charlotte murmured, gesturing to the sippy cup as Fallon grabbed the baby bag.

“I photograph kids of all ages and let me tell you, your daughter is one of the most beautiful babies I’ve ever seen,” Mark continued. “I’m sure the marketing team at Disney would love to have her in their catalog and advertisement,”

“Like I said, I’m not interested,” Fallon repeated, bending down to reach for the sippy cup and the bagel she still needed to get Charlotte to eat.

“Can I at least give you the official proposal?” He asked, quite persistent.

“Fine,” she groaned, hoping that accepting it would get him to stop talking.

“My number and e-mail address are right there,” Mark mentioned while handing her a light blue pamphlet. “Everything you need to know is in there. The number of photos they require, the products they want to advertise, where those photos would go and plenty of other information,” he explained. “She would get Disney products and money, of course,”

“Me want Disney _pwoducts_ ,” Charlotte turned towards her mother.

“Not now, Cha-” she paused, deciding against disclosing her daughter’s name in front of the creepy stranger. “Not now, princess,”

“All the products are listed in the pamphlet as well as the amount of money she would get,” he told her. “I won’t take much more of your time but if you change your mind, don’t hesitate to call me,”

“I wouldn’t count on that,” it was all Fallon said before walking through the glass doors.

“Who that guy, mama?” Charlotte asked, staring up at Fallon as her mother sat her down in the car seat.

“Nobody important, Charlie,” she sighed while carefully buckling the seatbelt against the two year old’s chest.

“He give Disney _pwoducts_!” She exclaimed, her blue eyes sparkling at the idea of getting new toys from her favorite brand.

“We can stop at Disney Store tonight before we head back home, okay? Where we can _buy_ you some toys,” Fallon suggested, pushing the pamphlet inside the baby bag before throwing it on the passenger’s seat.

“Fine by me!” She shook her body and kicked her legs in excitement.

“But that’s only going to happen if you eat that whole bagel, Miss Ridley,” she mentioned, looking at the two year old through the rearview mirror as she drove the black Cayenne out of the Starbucks parking lot.

* * *

“Fallon,” Liam called out, stepping into Charlotte’s bathroom just as Fallon wrapped the Winnie the Pooh robe around their daughter. “Why is there a modeling agency pamphlet in Charlie’s baby bag?” He questioned.

“Guy gave us that,” Charlotte told him while Fallon tied a loose knot around her stomach. “He said me beautiful!”

“Fallon…” He repeated, his tone suddenly changing into a serious yet concerned tone as he tried to reassure himself that Fallon wouldn’t be the kind of mother to sign their two year old daughter up for a modeling job. “Are you freaking kidding me?” His eyes widened as Fallon applied a leave-in to Charlotte’s wet hair.

“Can you pass me her brush?” Fallon asked.

“Are you seriously going to ignore what I just asked you?” Liam mentioned before opening one of the drawers under the sink.

“I didn’t sign Charlie up for anything, Liam,” she told him. “We were having breakfast at Starbucks this morning and this dude thought that she would be a great model for this new summer collection Disney is doing,” she explained while accepting the red hairbrush from him.

“And let me guess… you thought it was an amazing idea and accepted his offer?” He questioned.

“Of course not!” Fallon exclaimed, a bit louder than she actually intended to as he accused her of something she hadn’t done, something she actually had absolutely _no intention_ of doing.

“No fighting,” Charlotte begged.

“I told him I wasn’t interested but he kept insisting. I accepted that pamphlet so he would stop talking and left,” she explained. “I was going to throw it away anyway,”

“Well, you didn’t,” Liam shrugged. “Don’t you think you should have told me about it?”

“Liam, this happened less than twelve hours ago!” Fallon mentioned. “Charlie and I just got home and as far as I’m concerned, you were writing all day long because we barely exchanged two texts this afternoon,” she reminded him. “What did you want me to do?”

“I don’t know,” he murmured while pacing around the bathroom, “maybe call me as soon as it happened?”

“And say what exactly, Liam?” She asked before setting Charlotte down on her feet so she could grab the pajama set she had left on the sink. “That a dude wanted Charlie to be a model for his campaign and I said no?”

“As her father, I should know when this kind of things happen, Fallon!”

“Liam, what’s gotten into you tonight?” Fallon frowned. “Princess, why don’t you go play with your new Elsa plush doll?” She suggested as her daughter waited patiently for her to dress her in the pajamas she was currently holding.

“I’m naked, mommy,”

“It’s okay, princess, the heater is on so your bedroom should be warm enough,” she told her.

“ _Alwight_ ,” she murmured before walking out of the ensuite.

“What the hell is your problem?” She turned towards Liam the minute Charlotte was out of sight. “The guy asked me if I was interested in a modeling job for Charlotte, I said no and left. I’m sorry if I had more important things to do than call you the minute it happened to tell you about it when I had already turned down his offer,”

“I know you, Fallon. Don’t you think I know you were going to throw this pamphlet away to pretend it never happened and I would never hear about this modeling offer our daughter got?”

“When have I _ever_ lied or omitted _anything_ regarding Charlotte from you, Liam? When?” Fallon questioned, her voice getting louder by the minute. “Can you even imagine how you’re making me feel right now? Accusing me from keeping something from you when we barely exchanged five sentences with each other ever since I got home!” She raged. “I know you’re stressed about that damn article but that doesn’t give you the right to treat me like this, to accuse me of lying to you when all I did was forget that stupid pamphlet was inside the baby bag,” she mentioned.

“Fal…” Liam tried to speak but she didn’t even give him the chance, interrupting him so she could continue.

“The man walked up to us, telling me how beautiful Charlotte looked and that he had been watching us for a while,” she told him. “Do you have any idea of what that made me feel? For a moment, all I could think of was how little kids get kidnapped every day, even from public and crowded places like Starbucks. What if the man knew who I was? What if he knew how much money we have? What if this offer was his way of targeting her, Liam?” She plopped down on the closed toilet as she felt the tears starting to pool in her eyes. “My heart was probably beating a thousand times per second and my legs were shaking so much I don’t even know how I managed to drive to the office. I’m sorry if in the middle of that horrible and frightening feeling, I forgot to give you a heads up about Charlotte receiving a modeling offer,” she rolled her eyes. “I will finish getting her ready to bed and then I will head down to the kitchen to get her something to eat. You can go back to your article. Make sure you meet that deadline but don’t wait up for me. I will be sleeping here with Charlie tonight,” she ran a hand through her hair before standing up and exiting the bathroom.

“Fallon, wait,” he requested, quickly following her back into Charlotte’s bedroom.

“And for the record,” she added while turning around. “I would _never_ sign up or daughter for this kind of thing. It’s a shame you don’t believe it,” she shrugged, sitting down on the floor next to Charlotte so she could finally dress her daughter in her pajamas.

“Can we please finish this talk, Fallon?”

“Of course,” Fallon nodded. “Tomorrow morning, when you no longer have the stress of that article hanging over your shoulders and you can talk to you wife properly,”

“I don’t care about the article. I want us to finish this conversation like two grown adults,”

“What’s happening right now is far from a conversation, Liam. We’re not doing ourselves any good by bickering and arguing over this,” she explained, holding the pants out for Charlotte as she carefully slid one leg into each side. “Go finish your article,”

“Will you at least come to bed tonight?” Liam asked as he made his way to the door.

“I will think about it,” she replied and for a moment, as he walked down the hallway in the direction of his office, he could only wonder how one simple article had managed to completely ruin his day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A sick daughter, work stress, deadline coming up, a job offer for their two year old... no wonder that ended up in a stupid fight.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think of it! <3


	37. The Wedding Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it took me so long to update this story. I like to update once a week but life has been crazy!!
> 
> This chapter took me forever and I kind of gave up... I'm sorry for any mistakes but I really hope you like this one!
> 
> Don’t forget to check the visuals linked in this chapter!

“Charlotte, is this whole set up really necessary?” Liam asked as Charlotte welcomed them into Fallon’s office, the one she had claimed her own for the day so she could present her wedding ideas.

The eight year old had turned Fallon’s computer around, the wide 27’ screen of her iMac facing the couch instead of the usual chair by the window. As the couple walked further into the study, Liam took a moment to look around the room. On the coffee table by the couch, there was a large bowl of fresh popcorn and right next to it he noticed Olivia’s favorite mug, a Mike Wazowski ceramic mug, filled to the brim with more scoops of ice cream than he would ever _dream_ of giving his baby girl.

“Yes, dad, it’s _very_ necessary,” she mentioned before bending down to reach for the two champagne flutes she had placed on the coffee table only minutes back. “Mr. Ridley, Mrs. Ridley, please take a seat,” she requested, handing them a flute each before gesturing to the couch.

“Where did you get this bottle, Charlotte?” Liam’s tone was serious as he stared deeply into the eight year old’s eyes. “You know better than to sneak into the basement and get anywhere near our alcohol bottles,”

“Carol went down with me and I didn’t touch anything, I swear!” Charlotte replied instantly. “I asked her to get a nice champagne bottle and she asked me to choose one out of three so I chose the one with the prettiest label,” she explained.

“Did you see where she hid the key to the basement?” Fallon asked.

“She put it in her pocket and told me she would put it back in its rightful place once I left,”

“Glad she knows who we’re dealing with here,” Liam murmured.

“Little Miss Ridley, Mike has a very nice sundae for you,” Charlotte threw Olivia a wink as she showed her baby sister the mug sitting on the coffee table.

“Ice _cweam_!” Olivia exclaimed, letting go of her mother’s hand so she could grab the green mug as fast as possible.

“I figured keeping the baby entertained would bring less distractions to the presentation,” Charlotte told them when they both frowned at the endless amount of ice cream she had put in the mug.

“Charlie, it’s just us,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh. “You don’t need to use your business presentation speech, princess,” she informed with a chuckle.

“I like to stay in character,” the eight year old replied shortly. “Alright, you two. Please take your seats so we can start,” she repeated her request. “We have a lot to discuss here,” she added before grabbing the iPad, tapping a few buttons on the screen so the whole room would go dark, the only light coming from the screen on Fallon’s desk.

“Movie!” Olivia jumped on her seat in pure excitement, watching the family photo from her mother’s desktop disappear as the screen turned dark black for a couple of seconds once Charlotte hit play on the presentation.

“I’m afraid it’s not a movie, Ollie, I’m sorry,” she shrugged.

“ _Bowing_ ,” the soon to be three year old groaned as she raised a spoonful of ice cream up to her mouth.

“Mr. Ridley,” Charlotte glanced at Liam then turned her head towards her mother. “Mrs. Already But Soon To Be Again Ridley,” she chuckled, proud of her own choice of words that could only make Fallon let out a soft giggle as she rolled her eyes. “For your vow renewal ceremony, I present you...” She paused dramatically before pressing the _enter_ button on the small white keyboard. “Option number one,” she spoke as the [first slide](https://fallon-carrington-ridley.tumblr.com/post/630054892545933312/the-wedding-plan-by-charlotte-grace-ridley-thank) appeared on the screen. “A hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia, Turkey,” she exclaimed, pointing to the two images she had selected for that option.

The first photo was a high-resolution shot that captured the dry, rocky-mountains with dozens of colorful hot air balloons flying high in the sky. As for the second photo, it was a similar shot ~~one~~ with a brunette woman standing on one of the mountains peaks, dressed in a long white dress as she enjoyed the extraordinary view before her.

“Flying in a balloon?” Olivia gasped, her jaw falling to the floor and her bright blue eyes widening at the thought of flying in one of those hot air balloons. “No,” she shook her head.

“They’re not like the ones we get on our birthday, Ollie,” the eight year old rolled her eyes _exactly_ like her mother had done only a minute back. “They’re actually _made_ for people to fly in them. I read it’s pretty safe and you can even get your own private balloon so you don’t have to fly with strangers,”

“You _read_?” She questioned, a frown suddenly appearing on her delicate face as her blonde eyebrows moved towards one another. “That’s not enough, no,” she groaned, dipping the large spoon inside the mug to get herself more ice cream. “Oh mint chocolate chip!” She exclaimed when the spoon went deep enough to reach a different flavor.

“When did you get this sassy, Miss Ridley?” Liam asked as both him and Fallon looked down at the youngest girl sitting right between them on the couch.

“We’ve been practicing,” Charlotte stated. “Ollie’s so calm and peaceful... she needs some extra fire and passion in her personality!” She explained, her tone loud as she threw her arms up in the air.

“What’s wrong with having one calm and peaceful human being in this house?” He asked.

“ _You’re_ that human being, dad,” she shrugged in response. “People are going to think she was switched at the hospital. Don’t you worry about that?”

“To be honest?” Liam began. “Sometimes I worry your mother found a way to make _you_ all by herself and I had no participation in it,”

“Daddy, I switched at the hospital?” Olivia screamed in panic before throwing herself at his chest as tears started to pool in her eyes.

“No, pumpkin, of course not,” he replied, wrapping his arms around her small body while managing to grab the mug seconds before she spilled all of her dessert on his pants. “Daddy was right by mommy’s side when you were born and there’s no way anyone would ever be able switch you, baby girl,” he spoke softly. “Not to mention that they put a birth bracelet around your ankle as soon as we told the nurse your name... you have nothing to worry about, Liv,” he whispered, leaning down to place a kiss on the top of her head. “Charlotte is just messing with you but she won’t do that again right, young lady?” He raised his chin to throw his eldest daughter a glare.

“I won’t,” Charlotte’s reply was short and barely a whisper.

“Princess, come here,” Fallon requested, opening her arms wide to invite her daughter to sit with her. “You should never say this kind of thing that you just said to your sister,” she started once the eight year old climbed on her legs. “It was very spiteful of you to tell her such thing when you know it’s not true, Charlie,” placing her glass down on the coffee table, Fallon wrapped her arms around her daughter’s waist before continuing. “You’re growing up to be one amazing girl but sometimes you won’t know the difference between right and wrong and that’s okay... daddy and I are here for this. To teach you and Liv what’s right and wrong and while you probably meant that as a joke, those words and thoughts were quite harsh and they hurt your sister,” she explained.

“I’m sorry, mom,” she threw herself against her mother’s chest before snuggling her head into her neck.

“I know you love your sister very much, even if she’s the calm and peaceful baby in this house,” she told her. “I just want you to think twice before you say some things so you don’t hurt the person you’re talking to. Olivia loves you, Charlie, and as her big sister, you have to look after her and do whatever you can to protect her and make her happy,”

“I’m sorry,” she repeated.

“You have to apologize to Olivia, not to me,” Fallon informed.

“Ollie,” Charlotte murmured, jumping off her mother’s legs and taking a step forward so she could approach her father and sister. “I’m sorry,” she spoke once the toddler looked up at her. “You may not be as crazy as I am but I love you with all of my heart, okay? You’re the cutest baby sister ever and I love you!” The young brunette offered her a smile before pulling her into a tight hug. “I’m sorry I was rude to you, Ollie,”

“I _fowgive_ you,” Olivia spoke softly, letting her arms fall on Charlotte’s shoulder as she pulled her sister’s face close to hers.

“Those blue eyes don’t lie, Ollie, you have nothing to worry about,” the eight year chuckled while staring deeply into her sister’s ocean blue orbs.

“ _Billionheis_?” The toddler asked, her small palm flat on her big sister’s cheek.

“Billionheirs,” Charlotte nodded. “Come here, cutie,” she mentioned, leaning in before rubbing her nose against Olivia’s in an eskimo kiss that brought a smile to both Liam and Fallon’s lips.

“I’m not sure I want to know the answer but,” Liam paused. “What exactly is a billionheir?”

“It’s us, daddy!” Olivia exclaimed. “ _Chalie_ said we the _billionhey sisteys_ ,” she told him. “Because we have billions in the bank!” She added while throwing her arms up in excitement.

“And do you even know what that means, Olivia?” Fallon asked her daughter.

“Not a clue,” the two year old shrugged, shaking her head with her mouth slightly agape in confusion, “but _Chalie_ say that we go to Disney _evewy_ weekend with billions!” Her eyes sparkled at the idea of seeing her favorite character every week. “To see Mike and Sulley!”

“Oh, did she now?” The brunette turned towards her younger version, who could only look down at her feet when she felt her parents’ suspicious stare on her.

“She did!” Olivia nodded.

“Charlie, is Disney one of the options for our vow renewal?” Liam questioned, suddenly worrying about what his daughter had possibly planned for them.

“No,” Charlotte shook her head. “I hadn’t even _thought_ of that,” she groaned before slapping her forehead with her own head in disbelief. “It would have made a great seventh option but well,” she shrugged, her shoulders moving in the direction of her neck before they could even argue about the idea.

“At least we won’t have Mickey officiating it,”

“You had a stranger dressed up in an Elvis costume marry you once, what’s the problem with Mickey?” She questioned before letting her hand fall to her waist, settling it right on her hip so she could throw him her famous dramatic look. “He may not sing as nice as the King but he’s pretty cute,”

“Liam, stop adding fuel to the fire,” Fallon murmured. “Apparently Charlie has six wedding ideas to show us and if we’re going to spend this long on each one of them, we will be here for two days,”

“Okay, okay!” Liam raised his hands up in defeat. “You may continue, Miss Ridley,”

“So I guess Cappadocia is off the list?” Charlotte asked while heading back towards Fallon’s desk.

“Yes,” the three Ridley’s on the couch spoke in simultaneously.

“Oh well,” she shrugged. “Let’s move to option number two then,” she mentioned before hitting the _enter_ button on the keyboard. “Here, we have Castello di Vicarello,” she began, pointing to the iMac screen where they could see three photos of the extraordinary Italian castle. “A beautiful medieval castle built in the thirteenth century in Tuscany!”

“As much as I love the idea of a castle...” Fallon began. “I’m not sure it fits with our idea of a simple and private wedding, princess,” she spoke softly.

“We can still have a small ceremony, mom,” Charlotte explained. “It doesn’t have to be like this photo,” she pointed to the darker photo on the slideshow presentation. In the picture, the sun was setting and there was a large table with lights hanging from it and people gathered together as they ate, talked and laughed. “We can do something small just for us,”

“Charlie, baby, I’d say your mom is right about this one... a wedding at a castle is an amazing idea but we’re actually searching for something more intimate, princess,” Liam’s tone was gentle, making sure she knew he had enjoyed the idea and was quite supportive of it even though it wasn’t exactly what they were looking for. “Less Disney fairytale,”

“Alright, alright, daddy,” she murmured, rolling her eyes as she moved onto the next slide. “This one is going to blow,” she paused dramatically, “your,” paused again, “minds!” She exclaimed before pointing towards the two winter photos that had just popped up on the screen. “Sun Valley!”

“No!” Liam was the first one to speak, quickly rejecting the idea before his daughter could even properly present it.

“Liam...” Fallon whispered, silently telling him to at least give her a chance to tell them what she had in mind.

“Why not? You have great memories there,” she countered, her voice muttered as she felt the tears starting to pool in her eyes at the harsh word her father had just thrown her.

“I’m sorry, princess. I didn’t mean to sound that neglecting,” he told her. “It’s just... the bad memories stay with you. I shouldn’t have rejected it like that, I’m sorry,”

“Even though we have great memories there, we also have some bad memories there, princess,” the brunette explained while running a hand gently over Liam’s knee.

“But don’t the good memories trump the bad ones?” Charlotte questioned. “You say we have to always remain positive. That we have to focus on the good things and not let the bad ones win. Ever,” she murmured.

“Charlie, princess, come here,” Fallon requested, opening her arms wide towards Charlotte as she waited for her daughter to approach.

“You hate all of my ideas,” she groaned, letting out a heavy sigh in frustration while taking three steps in her mother’s direction. “I don’t want to do this anymore, mommy,” she complained, a pout evident on her small lips as she climbed onto Fallon’s legs. “You should just go to City Hall… that place is special for you anyway,” she murmured before burying her head in the crook of her mother’s neck.

“Since when do you quit when something doesn’t go your way?” She questioned. “The Charlotte I know wouldn’t act like this. Daddy might have said the wrong words when you suggested a wedding in Sun Valley but that doesn’t mean we hate your ideas, princess,” she spoke softly, leaning forward to place a comforting kiss on Charlotte’s forehead.

“Isn’t Sun Valley the reason you have me?” Charlotte glanced between her parents. “Why isn’t that enough for a good memory?”

“It’s an amazing memory, Charlie,” Liam spoke up. “Wait,” he paused before he could continue his train of thought, frowning when he realized the eight year old wasn’t exactly supposed to know she had been conceived during that ski trip. “How do you even know about that?”

“I know where babies come from, dad,” the young brunette rolled her eyes, “but when Uncle Sam was helping me with our family’s scrapbook, we were going through your Sun Valley photos and he told me that I was the greatest souvenir you had gotten on that trip,” she explained with a shy shrug. “I didn’t appreciate him calling me a souvenir though, as if I was a lame keychain or a snow globe!” She threw her arms up in the air dramatically. “Can you believe my own uncle compared me to a souvenir?” She rambled. “But anyway... I love snow so I figured it must have been where you two made me,”

“You made _Chalie_?” Olivia exclaimed, her eyes wide in confusion. “Like _dinney_?”

“No, Ollie,” the eight year old laughed. “They go to their room and they kiss each other without clothes then mommy gets preg-,”

“Hey, hey, hey, that’s enough!” The oldest Ridley intervened, covering Olivia’s ears with both his hands at the same time Fallon covered Charlotte’s mouth with hers.

“I _just_ learned that at school! Why can’t I share my knowledge of biology with my sister?” She asked.

“The fact that you love snow doesn’t mean you were conceived near snow, Charlie,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh, choosing to ignore her eldest daughter’s question while taking the conversation to another direction.

“Weren’t you two in the Caribbean when you got pregnant with Ollie?” Charlotte countered. “Because this little one would probably live at the beach if it was up to her,”

“Beach! Let’s go to the beach!” Olivia jumped on the couch in excitement. “Let’s swim, daddy!” She looked at him, her bright blue eyes sparkling as she threw him her famous puppy look.

“See?” She mumbled. “I’m just saying… you wouldn’t have this amazing daughter if you hadn’t gone to Sun Valley,”

“I’m now starting to regret ever suggesting that trip to your mother,” Liam murmured in response.

“Oh, dad, don’t kid yourself. It doesn’t suit you,” the eight year old replied. “You’re crazy about me,” she giggled.

“What I’m trying to say here, Charlie, is that Sun Valley is also one of the reasons why your mom and I almost separated forever,” he explained. “It’s why we spent months without talking to each other and it’s why we almost reached the point of not talking to each other _ever_ again,”

“But you went back,” Ollie whispered as she tried to follow the story they were discussing. “You make _Chalie_ _thewe_ ,”

“Back then, I would have nightmares about the first fiasco in Sun Valley,” Fallon told them. “About all the bad things I did there and about the fact that I almost lost your dad for good because of how childish I acted,” she continued. “So one day daddy suggested we went back. To make good memories and to somehow put aside all the bad things that happened there, you know?”

“Then you got me!” She exclaimed.

“We did, princess,” Liam chuckled. “We came back to Atlanta with a lot more than good memories but that place is still bittersweet for us. Do you understand why we wouldn’t want to renew our vows there?” He asked softly.

“I do,” Charlotte nodded. “I’m sorry I even suggested it,” she apologized, leaning against Fallon’s chest as her mother wrapped her arms around her small frame.

“It’s okay, princess,” Fallon replied. “We know you only meant good. Will you continue your presentation?”

“You haven’t liked any of my ideas…” She murmured. “I only have three left. What if they are all a disaster and you hate all of them?”

“Then we will sit down and think of a new one together, okay?” Liam suggested. “Right now, though, we would love to know what else you’ve planned for us,”

“I guess you won’t like the next one either,” she spoke while heading towards the iMac.

“Snow again?!” Olivia screamed when Charlotte moved onto the next slide, the two year old making them burst out laughing at her reaction when she almost fell off the couch.

“It’s an Igloo, Ollie!” Charlotte told her sister. “A real igloo in the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort in Finland!” She exclaimed, pointing to the screen, in which they could see three photos of the igloos. “My suggestion is to have the ceremony under the Northern Lights when the sky turns green because that’s so beautiful!” She placed the tip of her index finger on the photo of the famous aurora on the sky.

“No snow,” she shook her head, a pout evident on her tiny pink lips as she crossed her arms against her chest. “Too cold _foy_ wedding,”

“I’m going to have to agree with Liv here, princess,” Liam commented. “Besides, we would also have to wait at least half a year in order to have a winter wedding and your mom and I would like to do it in the next few months,”

“Then allow me to show you option number five,” Charlotte continued. “An overwater bungalow in Bora Bora!” She raised her tone while changing to the next slide. “Perfect for summer and has all the water our little Ridley can afford!”

“Charlie, may I ask how does that qualify as a simple wedding?” He questioned.

“It’s a simple wedding if it’s just the four of us,” she shrugged. “We can rent this huge bungalow and it will be just us for a week! What better way to spend your post wedding days in a house like this one?”

“I like the slide,” Olivia told them. “And the _watey_ ,” she nodded. “Swim, swim, swim!”

“I knew you would like the slide, Ollie,” Charlotte couldn’t help but giggle at her sister. “It also has a lot of bedrooms so you two would have all the privacy you need. I read in a magazine that the night after the wedding is very important for the couple,” she turned back towards her parents. “It said that the so called nuptial night says a lot about how your marriage is going to be and it’s about the couple and the couple alone,” she added. “Do you have sex in this nuptial night? Is that what happens?”

“Charlotte!” Liam and Fallon shouted at the same time, their eyes wide at how bold she was acting.

“What’s sex?” The two year old looked up at her mother, a puzzled look in her eyes.

“Nothing important, pumpkin,” Fallon replied softly.

“Someone has apparently been spending way too much time on the internet,” Liam mentioned. “We’re going to have a serious talk about the things you’ve been searching online, young lady,”

“Dad, I’m almost nine! I’m in third grade already and soon I will be going to middle school,”

“You haven’t even started third grade yet and you still have two years before you go to middle school,” he countered.

“My teacher told us about how babies are made during a science slash biology class, dad,” Charlotte began. “I’ve heard people talk about this sex thing couples do in the movies and even you and mom talk about it once in a while,” she explained. “It doesn’t take a genius to connect the dots so I asked my teacher if I was correct and she said I was but that in a few years I will learn more about how it works because apparently there’s a lot of biology involved and we’re still learning the basics,”

“I want to go to _Bowa Bowa_ , mommy,” Olivia spoke up and Fallon could only let out a relieved sigh when someone finally changed the subject of their current conversation.

“If you want to know about that kind of thing, princess, come to us, okay?” Liam suggested. “I know you’re a very curious girl but I don’t want you searching the internet for answers about this, alright?”

“We might have to revisit the websites we have blocked,” Fallon whispered in his ear.

“Oh, that’s for sure,” he replied in agreement.

“So, are we settled on Bora Bora?” Charlotte asked.

“I still think Bora Bora is a bit too much,” the older brunette spoke. “The flight is incredibly long, it’s the middle of the nowhere… I mean, it’s amazing, princess. It’s actually my favorite option so far but maybe too much for what we really want?”

“But beach…” Olivia murmured. “We swim! In the blue blue _watey_!”

“I do have another option that might interest you,” the eight year old mentioned. “It’s also the last wedding idea I have so please be kind with your feedback,” she turned towards the screen then hit the enter button on the keyboard. “In the waters of Santorini, Greece!” She presented.

“Beach!” The youngest girl screamed when she couldn’t contain her excitement. “ _Bowa Bowa_ , _Gweece_ , anything,” she glanced between Fallon and Liam. “No snow, because cold. Beach, I like,” she told her parents.

“We can rent a yacht and it will be just us,” Charlotte explained. “I also suggest doing it at sunrise because I’ve seen photos and they are _awesome_ ,”

“I don’t think I can handle waking up at sunrise,” Fallon laughed.

“Not even to promise your husband a forever and a happily ever after?” Liam asked teasingly. “I actually like this one,” he pointed towards the iMac.

“I like it too,” she replied. “It can be intimate and simple, just like we want it to be,” she offered him a smile.

“Are you sure you want something simple, mom? That doesn’t look like you,”

“I’ve had a wedding, princess. Yeah, it was a long time ago but this year, your dad and I almost got divorced,” Fallon began. “We went through some dark times in both our personal lives and our relationship and it made us realize that all we need is each other and the two of you,” she told her. “This vow renewal is more of a way for us to promise each other forever again, to promise each other that we will never let what happened between us to happen again,”

“We could have done it back when we got back together, Charlie,” Liam added. “But it didn’t feel right to just say those things to each other without you and Olivia, which is why we wanted a small ceremony,” he explained. “Your ideas were great but they were a bit over the top compared to what we were looking for but this Santorini one is actually very interesting,”

“Alright,” she nodded. “Option number six it is then!”

“Yes!” Olivia screamed, jumping up and down in excitement. “When can we go?”

“In a month? Maybe two?” Fallon suggested, staring at her husband with a huge smile on her lips.

“It’s a date,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this one! Miss Ridley is getting older and even more sassy - if that's even possible.
> 
> Let me know your thoughts!


	38. The Bentley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is for Klaudia (SweetLuckyKM at twitter). Thanks for the idea and I hope everyone enjoys it!
> 
> There are visuals in this chapter so make sure to check them! Credits: marlowe.and.me instagram.

“Yeah, of course. I totally understand,” Liam spoke, running a hand nervously through his hair as he paced around the bedroom they once had called theirs. “I will stop by later this afternoon so we can discuss the details,” he informed the man on the other end of the line, sighing when he noticed Fallon walking into the room with three shopping bags in each hand. “Okay, thank you,”

“Everything okay?” She asked while setting the bags down on the end of the bed. “From the look on your face I can only guess you have bad news regarding our house?”

“Apparently you chose such an unique window design back when we first remodeled the house that they can’t find new ones,” he began. “They’ve pretty much contacted every supplier in the country and nobody is selling that window pane design anymore,”

“We got it shipped from Germany back when we first remodeled the house, Liam,” Fallon rolled her eyes, as if it was obvious. “No wonder they can’t find a supplier here in America,”

“They want one of us to go there today to talk about it because if we can’t get that specific design, we’re going to have to change _all_ of the windows in the mansion, Fallon,” Liam explained. “Which pretty much means remodeling every single room just to get matching windows,” he added. “Which also means staying here at the Manor for _at least_ a month,”

“Those window panes are the perfect combination of beautiful and sophistication! It matches the marble on the walls outside the house perfectly and it gives the windows a delicate touch when you look at it from inside,” she told him. “Instead of blaming me for choosing unique windows for our house, why don’t you blame the tornado that threw a stupid tree into our living room?”

“Okay, Fallon, I will make sure to send the God that’s responsible for the weather a letter in between all the errands I have to run today,” he groaned, sliding his phone back into the front pocket of his jeans.

“I will call the German supplier to ask about those window panes,” Fallon informed him. “The worst that can happen is that we have to change all of the windows... I’m sure my dad won’t mind if we stay here a bit longer,” she shrugged. “This bedroom is _way_ too quiet, by the way. Where’s Charlie?” She asked, looking around the room in search of their one year old. “You didn’t let her play in my old closet again, did you?” She raised her tone before rushing towards the walk in closet.

“What do you mean where’s Charlie? I thought she was with you, Fallon!” Liam’s eyes immediately widened in panic when he realized he had just spent the past hour on the phone with their contractor, _certain_ that Charlotte was with her mother.

“Liam! I went shopping!” She exclaimed.

Stepping further into the closet, Fallon started pushing all of the clothes from one side to the other and sliding all of the hangers across the metal bars. She knew how much Charlotte loved to hide between her clothes, always trying to dress in them so she would look exactly like her mother but apparently, the clothes were in their rightful place. The high heels she had left at the Manor when she finally moved out with Liam were also undisturbed, meaning that the one year old hadn’t been there.

“Which is _exactly_ why I thought you had Charlie!” He admitted, scanning the large ensuite for his daughter.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she groaned. “I’ve been gone for three hours, Liam! And you’re telling me you haven’t seen our daughter ever since I left this morning?” Fallon asked, holding onto one of the walls when she felt her blood pressure dropping. “She was napping when Monica arrived to pick me up,” she gestured at the empty playpen next to her side of the king sized bed. “I don’t see our baby girl in there so, Liam, where is Charlotte?”

“I...” Liam tried to speak but was only cut off by her before she stormed out of the bedroom.

“Save it!” She screamed before rushing towards the stairs. “Just know that if this is another Adam kidnapping situation, I’m killing you!”

* * *

“Anders!” Fallon exclaimed as she rushed down the grand staircase, holding onto the handrail so she wouldn’t misstep on her four inch stilettos.

“How can I be of service, Mrs. Ridley?” He asked, quickly making his way into the foyer at the sound of the familiar voice.

“My dear husband just happened to lose our daughter,” she explained. “Have you seen her, by any chance?”

“I have, yes,” he nodded. “I believe Miss Ridley is in the garage at the moment. Apparently Mr. Carrington had something to show her,” he told the brunette.

“Anders, you really don’t have to call her Miss Ridley,” Fallon couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Fallon! Have you found her?” Liam asked from the first floor, staring down at the two adults as they discussed the whereabouts of the youngest member of the family.

“In the garage, I guess,” she mentioned.

“Miss Ridley told me she liked that name,” Anders spoke up. “She said it makes her look fancy,” he shrugged.

“She’s two and a half, Anders. I don’t think she even knows what she’s talking about,” Fallon admitted.

“I believe she does, Mrs. Ridley,” he murmured. “A couple of hours ago she told me I could choose between Miss Ridley and Princess Charlotte of Atlanta,”

“Oh, so she’s a _princess_ now?” Liam frowned while approaching then.

“I suppose those were the instructions, yes,” Anders shrugged. “To quote her exactly, ‘ _You call me Miss Widley oy Pwincess Chawotte of Atlanta’_ were her words,” he commented.

“I wish I knew where that girl gets those ideas from,” the younger man chuckled. “She better not be building a castle outside,”

“I don’t think she is, Mr. Ridley,” he shook his head. “Would you like me to call Mr. Carrington and ask him to bring Miss Ridley back to the Manor?”

“That’s not necessary, Anders,” Fallon replied right away. “We will get her ourselves, don’t worry about it,”

“Is it wrong that I want to put a leash on her?” Liam asked as they stepped out of the house.

“She’s not a dog, Liam,” she murmured.

“I hope you haven’t forgotten about the day we left Charlie alone in our bedroom only two weeks ago,” he began. “You walked into the closet for five minutes while I went down to the kitchen to get some warm milk for her. Not did she break two of your lipsticks trying to apply it to her lips but she also dropped your fancy golden eyeshadow on the floor,” he reminded her.

“Oh yeah, that night was a disaster,” Fallon nodded in agreement. “I couldn’t even get mad at her once I realized how upset she felt about it…” She continued, thinking back to that night and how Charlotte had spent sixty whole minutes lying on the bathroom floor, trying to get every single bit of eyeshadow while crying her eyes out. “She was so devastated,”

“I’m sorry I didn’t keep my eyes on her at all times today, Fal,” Liam turned towards her, placing a hand gently on her shoulder when they stopped outside of the garage. “I should have paid more attention and I know there is no excuse… this house is huge and she could have gotten hurt on the stairs, the pool or even the lake if she ever tried to go there by herself,”

“You’re an amazing father, Liam. I know you didn’t mean to forget about her,” she offered him a smile. “But Charlie is growing up. She’s talking a lot more, she’s walking by herself and boy, does that girl wander around without even realizing,” they could only laugh at her comment. “She’s a curious girl and she won’t sit next to you and wait for you to talk about our house renovation… she will wander around until she finds anything that is even a tiny bit more interesting,” she explained.

“Mama! Daddy!”

They both turned around when they heard the sound of their two year old’s voice behind them and none of them could believe what they were just witnessing. Charlotte was in the same all pink outfit that Fallon had chosen for her that morning, a light pink bow matching her outfit but much to their surprise, she was driving an [electric white Bentley](https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwbrnibl0sS/?igshid=5rocap34wr8m).

Blake stood only a few feet behind her, a remote control in his hands as he controlled both the speed of the vehicle as the direction in which it was going. There was a large pink ribbon on its hood and Charlotte just wouldn’t stop talking about how exciting it was to drive the car.

“Me _dwive_!” She exclaimed.

“Dad!” Fallon exclaimed. “What is this?”

[“Voom voom!”](https://www.instagram.com/p/BwcppioFyld/?igshid=cq3fxiycw9ng)

“Eyes on the road, princess!” Liam instructed when she turned to look at her grandfather.

“Okay, daddy,” Charlotte quickly replied before grabbing the wheel with both hands, tightening the grip of her fingers around the small brown leather.

“You got her a _Bentley_?” Fallon questioned her father.

“My granddaughter deserves only the best of cars,” was Blake’s response.

“She’s two, dad! She doesn’t need a _car_ ,” she countered.

“We’ve been driving around the property for over an hour and she’s still just as excited as she was when she first hopped inside,” he explained.

“You like it, mama?” Charlotte looked up at Fallon, her eyes sparkling with so much joy and excitement that the brunette couldn’t really think of any reason why she wouldn’t be on board with such toy.

“Of course I like it, princess,” Fallon smiled brightly. “I didn’t know you had a driver’s license!” She pretended to be shocked.

“This _foy_ kids, mommy,” she replied.

“It’s so pretty, Charlotte,” Liam mentioned. “Did you thank grandpa Blake for giving you such an awesome gift?”

“I did, daddy,” Charlotte nodded. “Weeee!” She shouted, pushing her foot against the small pedal in the middle of the car to gather more speed.

“Charlie!” Blake intervened, hitting the button on his remote that turned down the speed of the car. “What did I say about going that fast?”

“ _Sowy_ , _gwandpa_ ,” she apologized.

“Anything else you got your granddaughter this afternoon?” Fallon asked the older Carrington. “Liam, Charlie and I won’t be able to come back to our place when we hoped we would so I need to know if I should consider getting us a suite at the St. Regis instead?”

“Only the Bentley, Fallon,” he responded.

“And ice _cweam_!” Charlotte ratted out. “With _oweos_!”

“You’re more than welcome to stay here,” Blake glanced between the couple, watching from the corner of his eye as the two year old changed the direction of where she was going. “For as long as you need. You have your own room, you know the house and you will have all the privacy you need,” he continued. “I would love to have Charlotte around too,” he confessed. “She brings so much light and happiness to this manor… it’s different having her around all the time,”

“As long as you stop with the crazy gifts,” Fallon whispered. “The car is nice but if you keep spoiling her, it will be almost impossible to take her back home,”

“I might have placed an order on a life sized Cinderella Castle this morning,” he murmured.

“What do you mean by life sized?” Liam frowned, not sure he really wanted the answer to that question.

“It’s like one of those kids’ outdoor playhouses,” he told them, “but it’s shaped as Cinderella’s castle instead of a regular house,” he described. “It even comes with a toddler costume and pretend crystal heels,”

“Dad,” she could only roll her eyes.

“I’m really trying to make things right this time, Fallon,” Blake explained. “All those things that I was supposed to do for you and never did… all those things you dreamed of having… I want to give it to her,”

“She just needs you to love her and be there for her, dad. She doesn’t need a car or a castle,”

“I know she doesn’t, but this is my way to connect with her,” he turned towards her, laughing when she drove the small Bentley into the recently trimmed bushes. “We’ve been having a lot of fun this afternoon with this car,”

“ _Gwandpa_! Help me! Stuck!” Charlotte screamed.

“You should get a ticket for driving on the other side of the road, Miss Ridley,” Blake teased her, approaching the car so he could get the car back on the backyard path.

“No ticket,” she shook her head, a pout evident on her lips as she sped up the vehicle.

“Dad,” Fallon called out before grandfather and granddaughter continued their drive through the property. “I’m sure that Charlotte will love the castle and the costume but make sure you have a Belle costume hidden somewhere,”

“She loves Cinderella but sometimes all she can talk about is Belle because of the dark brown hair,” Liam explained.

“I will keep that in mind,” he nodded.

“Can we go back to the house?” She asked, just to be sure. “You good with grandpa, princess?” She screamed so the toddler would hear her.

“Yes, mommy!” Charlotte replied.

“Then you two have fun,” Fallon spoke. “Liam and I will probably head to the house for a couple of hours. You sure you can handle Miss Troublemaker?”

“I’m sure,”

“Okay,” she added. “Bye dad. Bye princess!”

“See you, mama!” The two year old waved her parents goodbye then turned back towards the wheel, pushing down the accelerator as she focused on the path ahead of her. “We _woll, gwandpa_!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this one! Let me know what you think!


	39. Scared

_“Hello,”_ the soft voice of his mother-in-law echoed in his ear.

“Alexis,” Liam sighed in relief when someone finally accepted his call but the panic was still present in his voice. “I need your help,” he didn’t need to speak much for Alexis to understand that something wasn’t right. From the other side of the line, she could feel how nervous and desperate he was.

 _“Liam, calm down,”_ Alexis tried, in vain, _“if you don’t breath and speak slowly I won’t understand a single word,”_

“How fast can you get here?” Liam asked.

 _“I’m walking into the garage right now,”_ Alexis told him.

“Please hurry,” his voice was fading and Alexis could swear she heard a muffled cry before he hang up.

Liam glanced at the large numbers on the top of the screen. 3:47PM. Fallon had a meeting scheduled at four with potential investors to discuss the future she was planning for Fallon Unlimited and he knew how much she had been preparing for that. There were hundreds of millions of dollars on the table and Fallon had been working on her presentation for over a month. Thinking of every possible scenario and preparing herself for whatever kind of question they could throw at her.

Tuesday’s were reserved and completely dedicated to his girls. He blocked his calendar so nothing would pop up and he hardly ever turned his laptop on because that day was all about them. They would play games, run around the house and even cook together once Charlotte was back from school. Liam also made sure to give both Carol and Paula the day off so they could enjoy their own families. But that day, he regretted ever wanting to spend the day alone with them.

“Dad!” Liam closed his eyes when he heard Charlotte’s painful scream.

Liam threw his iPhone on the bed and rushed into the ensuite, only to find Charlotte sitting next to the toilet, moving back and forth while hugging her knees to her chest.

“I’m so cold,” Charlotte whispered.

Charlotte had been complaining about not feeling well for a few days. Sometimes she would get a headache and sometimes she would feel a little more tired than normal but at the end of the day, after a nap and a small dose of Tylenol she would be playing as if she had never felt bad. That day, however, she could barely get out of the bed when Liam woke her up for school.

Fallon had already left to the office when he rushed the six year old into the shower, keeping her under the cold spray even as her screams echoed through the entire floor. When her temperature started going back to normal and she finally fell asleep, Liam decided against calling Fallon. She had an important day ahead of her and he could handle a fever. It wasn’t the first fever Charlotte had so there was no reason to worry Fallon.

However, when lunch time arrived, Charlotte refused to eat, telling him she didn’t feel good. Liam tried all kinds of food but when he offered her ice cream for lunch and she turned it down, he was sure something was wrong. He tried calling Paula, Sam and even Anders but none of them picked up.

They had a list of people they trusted to leave their precious girls with but he just couldn’t call Fallon. He needed to take care of her and make sure she was perfectly fine by the time Fallon got home from work, hopefully with the deal closed and signed.

“You’re burning up, baby,” Liam picked her up in her arms and sat her down on the sink. “I need to check your temperature, okay?” He ran his fingers softly over her knee, hoping it would sooth her down even if only a little bit.

“I don’t feel-“ the six year old barely had time to finish her sentence before she threw herself onto the sink and threw up.

“Charlotte!” He let go of the medicine box so he could hold onto her legs so she wouldn’t fall off the sink.

Liam managed to grab her hair, pulling it back as she continued to throw up everything she had in her stomach. It happened so fast she didn’t even manage to reach the sink, throwing up on the rug, the floor and his pants.

“It’s okay, princess,” he ran his free hand up and down her back, “just get it all out, it’s okay,” he spoke softly.

Her legs were hanging off the sink but her upper body was thrown forward, the top of her head resting against Liam’s chest as she continued to throw up. He even tried to turn her towards the sink but she wouldn’t move. Every time he was able to move her an inch, she ended up leaning forward to throw up some more. Her small hands held the edge of the marble with so much force he could already see her knuckles turning white. The floor was a mess and his clothes had vomit all over him but he couldn’t care less.

“It hurts, daddy,” Charlotte complained.

“What hurts, Charlie?” Liam asked worried.

“I can’t move...” She started crying as the panic rose inside of her.

“C’mon, Alexis! Where are you?” Liam whispered. “What do you mean you can’t move?”

The crying intensified and both of her hands flew to her head, covering her ears as if her own cries were making her head hurt even more. Kicking her legs in complete desperation, she hit her heels against the bottom cabinet and all Liam could do was take her in her arms and rush into the shower.

Liam wasn’t sure how he managed to undress both of them so fast but it didn’t take him longer than a minute to discard all their dirty clothes on the floor. Charlotte was completely naked and he was in nothing but his boxers when he held her under the shower spray, allowing the water to fall on her head and back.

“Charlotte, talk to me,” Liam insisted. “What do you mean you can’t move?”

“My head, daddy...” It was all Charlotte managed to speak before she let out another loud cry.

“I’m here,” Alexis rushed into the ensuite. “Oh dear lord, what just happened in here?”

“I need to take Charlotte to the hospital,” Liam told her, “but Olivia hasn’t taken all her shots yet and I don’t want her in a building filled with sick people,”

“Go change,” Alexis slid the shower door open and extended her arms towards them so she could take Charlotte in her arms. “You’re going to be okay, sweetie,” the blonde woman reached for the first towel she could find and wrapped it around the six year old.

Walking back into the bedroom, Alexis started to pace around the room, singing whatever came to her mind as she tried to sooth her grandchild.

“Liam, where the hell is Fallon?”

“At a meeting,” Liam replied, running across the bedroom to reach for his phone and keys. “I didn’t tell her Charlotte is sick,” he spoke before exiting the room.

“What?!” Alexis screamed involuntarily and hated herself immediately for it as Charlotte’s cries only got louder.

“Turn off the lights...” Charlotte begged even though her head was buried in the crook of her neck and the towel was thrown over her, making sure there was not a single inch of her skin in touch with the cold air.

“I can handle this,” Liam stepped into the room holding a pair of underwear and a set of pajamas for Charlotte.

“I’m not saying you can’t,” Alexis sat down on the edge of the bed and helped Liam dress her in the clothes. She placed one hand on the back of Charlotte’s neck, keeping her head totally still as Liam pulled the pants up her legs. “Her neck is completely stiff, Liam,” she mentioned when she noticed the top he had chosen, “go grab something with buttons,”

Liam returned to the master bedroom stumbling on his own feet but thanks to Alexis, he managed to dress Charlotte up and gather everything he needed to go to the hospital.

“I will take care of this mess and watch your baby,” Alexis told him, “but Liam,” she called out for him before he could step out of the room, “you better call Fallon. Imagine how you would feel if your daughter was sick and she didn’t tell you,”

* * *

“Where the hell is my daughter?!” Fallon screamed, as loud as she could while pushing open the swinging doors to the Carrington wing.

Liam had both of his elbows on his knees, holding his head in his hands as he waited for the doctor to return. The heavy sound of her stilettos approaching him pierced through his ears and before he could look up at her, Liam saw her handbag being thrown on the seat next to him from the corner of his eye.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Fallon hit him on the head with an open palm.

“Wow, calm down, Fallon,” Liam reached for her wrist.

“Calm down?!” Fallon pulled her arm away from him, immediately taking her hand to her hair as she paced around the hallway. “Something is wrong with my daughter and you decided to wait the entire day to tell me about it?” Her face was oscillating between all tones of red as she continued to yell. “What kind of sick person does that?” She was angry at him but mostly, her chest felt tight and her heart ached more than she thought was possible.

“First of all, stop yelling because we’re in a hospital,” Liam pushed himself off the seat and took a few steps towards her, “second, stop referring to Charlotte as _your_ daughter because you’re making me look like an incompetent,” he raised his tone. “I’ve been taking care of her ever since she woke up feeling a bit off and I’ve done everything in my power to help her feel even slightly better!” He explained. “I knew how important today was for you so I decided to just take care of her on my own so I wouldn’t ruin your deal,”

“I don’t care about the _fucking_ deal, Liam!” Fallon fired back. “I rushed out of that meeting as soon as I got your message,” she told him.

“Charlotte had a parent looking after her, Fallon! Your meeting was right about to start when she started throwing up and I figured waiting one more hour to tell you about it wouldn’t be a bad idea,” Liam countered.

“Yeah, you were _so_ great she ended up at the hospital,” Fallon fumed.

“Stop acting like a bitch!” Liam grabbed one of her arms, making sure he didn’t grip it too tight. He _never_ intended on hurting her in _any_ way but he still needed to catch her attention and make his point.

“I tried calling everyone so I could get someone to watch Olivia,”

“Oh you’re so cynical, aren’t you?” Fallon rolled her eyes. “You could have just called, I don’t know?” She pretended to think. “Her _mom_? I would be there in no time,”

“I’m sorry if I tried to handle it without blowing your million dollars deal,” Liam replied.

“You really think a stupid deal is more important than our daughter?” Fallon was furious. “You better let go of me,” she glared at him.

“You better stop acting like this,” Liam ranted. “I did everything I could, Fallon! Yeah, I could have called you in the morning when she said she wasn’t feeling good but I decided to do it by myself. If I did call, you would have blown out the deal completely and she would still be sick so I’m sorry if I tried to do something good for you. When she turned out to be way sicker than I actually thought she was, I rushed here and I called you!” He told her.

“The prognosis is meningitis, Fallon. That is bad and it can get extremely dangerous, more than we can even imagine, and you screaming at my face won’t help her in any way so can you please do us all a favor and calm yourself and stop accusing me of not taking care of her properly?” Liam took advantage of his grip on her arm and pulled Fallon closer to him, wrapping both of his arms around her body while running one hand through her hair. “I know you’re freaking out because I don’t think I’ve ever felt this much panic in my entire life but the only thing we can do now is put on a brave face and be there for her when she needs us the most,”

They were still hugging when the doctor walked through the swinging doors.

“Mr. Ridley?” He called out and Liam quickly let go of Fallon, turning towards the doctor as he nervously waited for him to share news about their daughter.

“How is she?” Liam asked right away. “This is my wife, Fallon,”

“Well, Fallon, I’m not sure how much your husband has told you about Charlotte but we did a few tests as soon as she arrived,” the doctor started. “We ran a blood test to check for heightened levels of certain cells and proteins and we performed two tests that could indicate meningitis. In the first, I pulled her neck forward to check for stiffness and an eventual involuntarily bending of her knees,” he explained. “There were not involuntarily moves that we should worry about but she’s having a lot of difficult moving her neck. The other test involved flexing her leg at the knee then bending it forward at her hip, before slowly straightening it back. That really caught our attention because she felt a considerable amount of pain in her back,”

“Okay,” Fallon just nodded.

“We searched her entire body for red rashes and couldn’t find any but the high fever, the vomiting and the stiff neck all pointed to a meningitis diagnosis,” the doctor continued. “She just got out of the MRI and we do see signs of brain and spine inflammation but at a very early stage. There is no swelling of the brain and no fluid buildup in tissue so even if this is meningitis, I can tell you that her case is not dangerous. It is pretty serious but we caught it early and we’re going to give her the best treatment,”

“So it _is_ meningitis?” Liam asked.

“That’s why I’m here, actually,” the doctor looked between them and one of Fallon’s hand immediately went to her hair, running her fingers through the long brown locks as she took a deep breath, knowing exactly what his next words were. The other continued to hold onto Liam’s, tightening the grip of her fingers on his at every word the doctor spoke. “In order to confirm the diagnosis and understand whether it’s a type of bacteria or virus causing it, we need to perform a CSF test, most know as spinal tap or lumbar puncture,”

“No, no, no,” Fallon let go of Liam’s hand and started walking around the room. Both of her hands were now on her hair as she shook her head in a mix of panic and desperation. “No, this isn’t happening, please no,” she rambled.

“I’m so sorry but we need to collect the cerebrospinal fluid that’s found around her brain and spinal cord to get a definitive diagnosis of meningitis,” the doctor told them. “This test allows us to check for low levels of sugar, high levels of white blood cells or blood protein and also check for a heightened level of antibodies responding to an infection,” he explained. “However, the test is uncomfortable and painful, specially in children as young as Charlotte. We apply some local anesthesia to the area so she won’t actually feel the needle going in but she will feel a lot of pressure once we start collecting the fluid,”

Fallon plopped down on the seat next to her, her legs practically giving up at the thought of her daughter going through all of that.

“I know this is a lot of information and no parent ever want their children to go through anything even remotely like this but this is the part where she’s going to need you the most,” the doctor spoke. “You two can stay with her during the procedure if you think it will be good for her. My only advice is that you try to at least pretend you’re not freaking out because she’ll sense that and she will be nervous. If you think you can be there and help her through this, then you’re both welcome to come in,”

“Fal,” Liam touched her shoulder gently. “We need to do this,” he said softly. “Can you hold the tears and pull yourself together for her?”

“I think so,” she nodded.

“We’ll perform it in the private room you’ve requested,” he looked at Liam. “She needs to lie down for several hours after the procedure so there’s no leaking or any other complications. This way we don’t have to move her between rooms and you can make yourselves a bit more comfortable. She will be staying overnight while we wait for the results but she will most likely be admitted for the next few days,” he explained. “Do you have more children?”

“Yes, another girl,” Liam replied.

“How old is she?”

“Nine months old,” Fallon answered.

“We’re still not sure about the diagnosis but since it’s highly possible that Charlotte has meningitis, we need to test your other daughter as well,” he told them. “I assume they have a lot of contact with each other considering they’re kids and the first vaccine is at one year old so I just want to make sure everything is okay with your littlest one,”

“Could she have caught it?” Liam raised his tone.

“Not necessarily,” the doctor responded, “but babies under two year old are at a higher risk of catching it because they still aren’t completely vaccinated. Liam has informed me that Charlotte got all of her shots, which means she already has the first two doses but the meningococcal vaccine is usually given to children between the ages of 11 and 12, which she still doesn’t have,”

“Fal,” Liam turned towards his wife, looking deeply into her eyes. “I will go home and grab Olivia. You go in, okay? Tell her daddy will be back in no time,”

“Liam...” Fallon murmured.

“You can do this,” Liam encouraged her. “You don’t need me. You go in there, hold her hand and be the amazing mother she knows you are. That’s all she needs right now,” he told her. “I was by her side the entire day. I’m sure all she wants right now is mommy. She may love us both to the moon and back, like she says every night, but we both know _you’re_ her safe harbor, Fallon,”

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I'm sorry!!! I hope you forgive me for yet another angsty chapter but I still hope you liked it!!
> 
> Let me know what you think and stay tuned for Part 2, next week!!


	40. Scared - Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm soooooo sorry it took me forever to update this chapter!!! This one leans towards the fluff side so I hope you all forgive me for making Charlie sick. Hope you enjoy it!

“Can I come in?” Alexis whispered softly while knocking lightly on the large door.

Fallon was sitting on the armchair she had pulled all the way towards the hospital bed in which Charlotte was lying on. Glancing at Alexis, she offered her mom a simple nod before returning her eyes to her sleeping daughter. They had already started on some basic medication and it was impossible to miss the IV connecting her left hand to the small bag of fluids hanging by the bed.

Fallon was playing with her daughter’s hair, whispering her favorite lullaby even though the six year old had fallen asleep about fifteen minutes back. The drugs were finally kicking in and as her body relaxed, sleep came with ease, specially after all the exhaustion caused by the pain on her head and neck and all of the upsetting medical stuff she had to endure as the head of the pediatric department admitted her as a patient.

Fallon, however, was certainly the one still trying to overcome the lumbar puncture her daughter had just gone through. Her daughter could be one of the biggest troublemakers her generation had ever seen but when it came to doctors, Charlotte had always been a brave girl. She had been so good to the nurse and doctor that the procedure had gone beyond smoothly as the six year old laid completely still, gripping onto her mother’s hand for support but allowing the doctor to perform the whole exam without any unnecessary complications.

Unlike Charlotte, the brunette had been nothing but a terrible mess throughout the entire procedure. She had promised Liam she would put on her bravest face and that she wouldn’t let their daughter notice how worried she was but at some point, it suddenly became impossible to hold the agonizing pain. As she watched the doctor insert the large needle in her daughter’s spine, tears started rolling down her cheeks and the only thing she could do was promise her that everything would be okay at the end.

“Where’s Liam?” Fallon asked immediately, tightening the grip on Charlotte’s small hand as her thumb traced small and gentle circles over its back in a soothing pattern.

“They’re running a few tests on Olivia. From what I was able to hear, they were going to run a blood test and then a CT just to be sure,” Alexis explained while approaching the bed. “Liam told the doctors he was not taking his eyes off her and managed to get inside the exam room with her,” she smiled, standing by her daughter’s side. “How is she?” She asked, gesturing to her granddaughter.

“They gave her some meds to help with the pain until they get the definitive results,” she replied.

“She’s a tough girl, Fallon, just like you,” the blonde spoke. “She will be up, running and giving you a run for your money in no time, I’m sure,”

“I just hate that she has to go through this,” Fallon admitted. “I know kids get sick but not this kind of sick... she wasn’t supposed to be in a hospital bed at the age of six!”

“It happens, Fallon,” Alexis ran a hand through Fallon’s hair, just like the brunette had been doing to her little one. “I just hope you’re not second guessing yourself as a mother because if there’s one thing that I can tell you is that I haven’t met anyone that is as passionate about their daughters as you are,” she told her. “I never once gave you the love you deserved and I’m well aware of that. I was a terrible mother, Fallon, we both know that. I wasn’t there to watch you grow up and become the woman you are today. I wasn’t there through the most important phases of your teenage years and I regret so many of those things, Fallon. I see the way you look at your girls and it feels like a dagger to my heart because I don’t think I ever gave you that kind of look,” she explained.

Her eyes filled with tears as she wondered why she had never acted on being a better mother when she knew exactly what she had to do in order to become one. All she needed was to rearrange her priorities but, for some reason, her daughter had never even made to the top of the list.

“I know it’s probably too late now and our relationship will always be like this. Sometimes good, sometimes messy and sometimes way too complicated,” she continued. “But ever since Charlotte was born, I’ve noticed something different in you. After everything I did wrong, after all those times I screwed up... you still decided to give motherhood a try. You would do anything for her in the blink of an eye, Fallon, and it doesn’t take a genius to see that. It’s written all over your face how perfect you are for these two girls,” she offered her a smile, her fingers threading through the long locks of her daughter’s brown hair. “You left in the middle of an incredible important meeting this afternoon because Liam told you she was in the hospital,”

“I would never choose a deal over her, mom,” Fallon rolled her eyes.

“Your father would,” Alexis quickly replied, “and he did, in fact, several times,” she shrugged. “Hell, I did it several times for even less because I knew the babysitters would take better care of you than I ever would,” she stated. “But as I’ve said plenty of times, you’re different, Fallon. You’re an incredible business woman, you’re an amazing wife and you’re the best mother Charlotte and Olivia could ever wish for. I know I screwed up with you but I’m really glad you gave me a chance to be in their lives,” she offered Fallon a smile. “It only proves how mature you’ve gotten and how different you actually are from all of us. I may never be the mother you deserve and I may never get you to really love me as those girls love you, but you still gave me the chance to be a real grandmother to them. You’re giving me the chance to be to them what I never was to you, Fallon,” she added, leaning forward to placed a kiss on the top of her head. “And I don’t think I will ever be able to thank you enough for it,”

“They deserve to have a grandmother,” she looked up at her mother. “You’re great to them, mom. To be honest, you’ve proved to be quite good as a mother to me ever since I had Charlie,”

“I really want to makes things right this time, dear,” she mentioned.

“I know. I know, mom,” Fallon nodded. “Thank you for helping Liam when I wasn’t there,”

“Don’t worry about it,” Alexis shook her head. “Why don’t you go home to shower and change into more comfortable clothes?” She suggested, giving her daughter the once over before walking to the other side of the bed. “I can stay with her until you get back,”

“It’s okay, mom. I promised her I would be here when she woke up,” she informed.

“Do you mind if I stay here for a little bit?” She asked, a bit insecure about the brunette’s response.

“No, not at all,”

“It’s so heartbreaking to see her like this,” Alexis murmured, running her fingers down Charlotte’s cheeks.

“Tell me about it,” Fallon groaned. “She told me she had a headache last night during her bath and I gave her some Tylenol for the pain,”

“Which is exactly what any mother would do, Fallon,”

“I should have noticed something was wrong,” she countered and it didn’t take long for tears to start pooling in her eyes again.

“There’s no way you could have known, Fallon. You should not beat yourself for it,” Alexis explained. “What matters right now is that we’re here and the doctors are going to fix her, okay?” She reassured her.

“What if it’s not, mom? What if we took to long to notice that something was wrong and she’s not okay? What if it’s too late?” Fallon rambled.

“Fallon, the doctor said himself that we caught it early,” the blonde spoke. “Charlotte is strong and she’s going to make through this in no time,”

“I just feel like I keep letting her down, one way or another,” she finally admitted. “She’s only six years old and I’ve already put her through a car accident and now this…”

“You didn’t put her through anything, Fallon!” Alexis replied right away, raising the tone of her voice at the absurd her daughter had just spoken. “It was an accident and you did everything you could to prevent her from getting a single scratch!”

“Yet she still ended up with a broken arm at four years old,” Fallon rolled her eyes.

“She did, yes,” she nodded. “But you ended up in surgery and you died on the table, for god’s sake, Fallon! It may have been for a couple of minutes but your heart still stopped. You lost a child that night, one you didn’t even know about it but that’s not the point here. All of that because you wanted to keep Charlotte out of harm’s way,” she explained. “That only proves what a great mother you are and I don’t want you to ever second guess that,”

“Is it weird that I want to wrap Olivia in bubble wrap and never let her leave the house?” She questioned.

“I would say that’s a normal thought for a mother currently has a daughter lying on a hospital bed,” Alexis shrugged. “Just promise me that even though you will put Charlotte above everything else for the next few days, you will still take care of yourself?”

“I promise,” Fallon nodded.

* * *

“Are you in pain, princess?” Liam asked when Charlotte turned her attention off the screen in front them completely, snuggling against her father while burying her head in his chest.

“I want to go home,” she murmured.

“Charlie, are you in pain?” He repeated at the sound of her raspy voice.

“No,” Charlotte shook her head. “But I hate this place,” she groaned, the frustrated pout plastered on her lips a perfect replica of the one her mother used to display whenever something wasn’t to her liking.

“You’ve only been here for two days,” Liam reminded her.

“Exactly. Time to go home,” she demanded.

“That’s not how it works, mini Fallon,” he chuckled.

If Liam closed his eyes, it would be almost impossible to know which of his girls had been lying next to him for the past hour and a half. He couldn’t help but wonder whether Charlotte had learned those things from Fallon throughout her life or whether they shared so much DNA that those similarities were bound to show up eventually.

“Mini Fallon wants to go home,” Charlotte countered. “Big Fallon said we have enough money to get a nurse to take care of me at home, daddy,” she told him. “Where’s your wallet?” She asked, slipping the arm that didn’t have an IV connected to it under the blankets and between their bodies in an attempt of reaching the front pocket of his pants. “Do you think this place accepts credit cards?”

“Princess, this is not how it works,” Liam mentioned, placing her arm over the blanket before helping her turn onto her side to face him properly. “Look at me,” he requested.

“Yes, daddy,”

“You’re a big girl, right?” She nodded in response. “Then I’m going to be completely honest with you,” he began. “Truth is… that we could take you home. We would need to hire a couple of nurses to check on you twenty four hours a day and we would probably need to rent some machines to make sure your numbers are all great,”

“I accept those terms,” Charlotte offered him a smile.

“I wasn’t finished, princess,” Liam rolled his eyes. “Your bedroom would have hospital machines and there would be nurses with you all the time… it would make your room so sad and depressing, don’t you think?” She shrugged. “But that’s not even the problem, Charlie,” he continued, pushing a strand of hair away from her face and behind her ear. “Your sister tested negative but since she’s a baby and she’s really, really young, she hasn’t taken all of her vaccines. Even though you’re already being treated, the doctor recommended that we keep you and Olivia apart, at least for a week,” he explained.

“Will I make Ollie sick if I come home?” The six year old asked and suddenly, all he could see was sadness in her face as tears started to pool in her eyes.

“Not necessarily, princess,” he told her. “It’s just a precaution. Mommy and I talked about taking you home… it’s definitely something we discussed but because of Olivia we decided against it,” he continued. “We thought it would only add to everyone’s stress having to keep you two away from each other in your own home,”

“I don’t want Ollie to get sick, daddy,” she begged.

“She won’t, princess,” Liam reassured her. “This diagnosis of yours has been tough on all of us and specially on you so mommy and I are trying to do whatever we can to make things a bit easier,” he promised. “Which is why one of us is here with you every night while the other stays home with your sister,”

“What about the party, dad?” Charlotte questioned. “We can’t miss a party at the manor!” She exclaimed.

“I’m afraid we’re going to have to skip this one, baby girl,” he spoke softly. “You certainly can’t go and we are not going without you,”

“But daddy…” She insisted. “I even bought a new dress!” She reminded him. “It’s yellow, like Belle’s! Remember?”

“Of course I remember, Charlie, but you can’t go if you’re sick,” Liam informed her. “I know it sucks, princess, but you need to get better, okay? There will be other parties at the manor,”

“I can’t believe I’m not going to that party…” She murmured, hugging her father as tight as she could.

“Maybe grandma Alexis can bring you a nice piece of cake afterwards?” He suggested.

“I will still miss the all you can eat sushi catering service grandpa booked for the party,”

“Well, here’s what we can do,” Liam turned towards her. “When the doctor discharges you, daddy will get you your favorite sushi for your first meal at home. How does that sound?”

“My favorite sushi?” Charlotte’s eyes sparkled at his proposal. “With all the sashimi I can eat? And those huge temakis?” She asked. “Oh, and spring rolls!”

“Everything you want, princess,” he chuckled.

“I like that, daddy,” she nodded. “I will still call grandma Alexis though… I would never say no to cake,” she informed him and he could only burst out laughing at his daughter’s comment.

* * *

“No! Jail again?” Charlotte exclaimed when she moved her piece five spaces and ended up on the worst space of the board.

“Looks like someone is not having a lot of luck with monopoly tonight,” Fallon teased her daughter.

They had been playing one of their favorite board games for almost an hour and the six year old was losing _big_ to her mother. It was her third time in jail and as she lost the chances of moving through the board, Fallon had managed to buy the best spaces of the game, forcing Charlotte to pay enormous amounts of rent every time she landed on her mother’s properties.

“It’s the hospital air,” she rolled her eyes in frustration. “It messes with my head,”

Once Charlotte finished her dinner, they kept the table above her legs and Fallon sat down at the end of the bed so they could be face to face while playing the game.

“A couple more days and you will be able to go home, princess, I promise,” Fallon reassured her.

“Mommy, why isn’t daddy coming to sleep with me tonight?” Charlotte asked, the hushed tone in her voice indicating she was clearly upset with the change of plans.

“Daddy had some problems with his book, baby girl,” she began. “He’s been working hard on it and tomorrow morning he has a meeting with his agent so he really needs to focus,” she explained. “He even thought of doing it here but since he wouldn’t be able to give you proper attention, he asked if I could stay with you tonight,”

“I miss daddy, mom,” she confessed. “I haven’t seen him all day,”

“I know, princess,” Fallon offered her a smile. “He’s dropping Olivia at Alexis tonight and he promised to stop by to give you a goodnight kiss and bring me some fresh clothes,”

“Are you talking about me?” Liam spoke, pushing the door open before walking into the private room.

“Daddy!” Charlotte screamed, her eyes sparkling in excitement.

“Princess!” He screamed back, rushing towards the bed to pull her into the tightest of hugs.

“I’ve missed you so much, daddy,” she told him.

“I’ve missed you too, baby girl,” Liam placed a kiss on the top of her head. “I hate when a book demands so much of my time that I barely have time for my girls,”

“Your job is important too, dad, I understand,” Charlotte replied softly. “I understand that sometimes you and mommy have to do important stuff and that sometimes you will get home late or even leave before we wake up,” she added. “But I know you love us just the same,”

“I haven’t seen you in a day and you’re already a teenager?” He faked a cry. “Fallon, how did this happen?” He turned towards his wife.

“Maybe that explains why the greatest Monopoly player I’ve ever seen is currently losing tonight,” Fallon chuckled playfully.

“You’re _losing_?” Liam’s eyes widened.

“Apparently the dices want me to stay in jail forever,” the six year old complained. “Mommy bought all of the good properties and I’m losing all of my money on stupid rents,” she rolled her eyes.

“C’mon, mommy!” He exclaimed. “Charlie is sick, why aren’t you letting her win?”

“Mommy can’t let me win, daddy. I have to win on my own!” Charlotte insisted. “And well, you know what they say… lucky at cards, unlucky in love,” she shrugged. “Maybe this means I will find some love soon,”

“You what?!” Liam screamed, taking a step backward to keep himself from falling on the floor in both shock and surprise.

“There’s a cute boy in the room next door,” she mentioned. “Should I introduce myself, daddy?”

“What the hell is happening?” He questioned, his eyes still wide as he glanced between his wife and daughter, until Fallon burst out laughing.

“Nothing is happening, babe,” she told him. “Don’t worry,”

“Mommy gave me twenty bucks to say that just so we could see your face,” Charlotte laughed loudly.

“That’s not fair,” Liam murmured. “Or funny,”

“It’s funny, daddy,” she replied.

“I might have to have a little talk with your mom about what she’s teaching our six year old,” he shook his head in disbelief.

“Mommy is very honest with me, dad,” Charlotte replied. “We don’t have secrets from each other,”

“We don’t,” Fallon spoke up.

“And one day I will find love, daddy,”

“When you’re thirty, remember?”

“Mommy found you at twenty five,” the young brunette countered.

“Okay, I think I can work with twenty five,” Liam nodded. “But not a day earlier,”

“Sometimes you’re _way_ too jealous, daddy,” Charlotte teased playfully.

“You, mommy and Olivia are all mine, okay? I’m supposed to be the most important man in your lives,” he pouted. “I want you three all to myself and I’m not ashamed to say it,”

“Aw babe,” Fallon mumbled. “We are all yours, you know that,”

“I don’t want my baby to keep growing,” Liam informed, throwing one arm across his daughter’s shoulder so he could pull her closer to him. “Can’t you stay like this forever, princess?” He asked while she rested her head against his chest.

“I think that’s biologically impossible, daddy,”

“There’s the teenager again,” he rolled his eyes.

“Would you like to play some Monopoly with us, dad?”

“I’m sorry, Charlie, but unfortunately daddy needs to go back home,” Liam told her. “I will come back here as soon as I’m out of my meeting tomorrow, okay? It’s only a few blocks down your favorite Italian restaurant and I will bring you some pasta so we can have lunch together. How does that sound?”

“Amazing!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“It’s a date then,” he replied while playing with her long brown strands.

* * *

“Mommy?” Charlotte’s tone was soft as she walked into the master bedroom.

“Hi, baby,” Fallon lifted her chin so she could look up at her daughter, running her hands against her eyes in an attempt of hiding the tears from the six year old.

“Why are you crying?” She asked, sitting on the floor by her side.

“Nothing you should be worried about, princess,” the older brunette reassured her.

“I don’t like when you cry, mommy,” Charlotte mentioned, wrapping her small arms around her mother’s neck to offer her a hug.

“Mommy is just having a bad day, Charlie. It happens sometimes,” Fallon tried to come up with an excuse. She didn’t want her daughter to know exactly what she was going through at that moment.

“I thought you were happy that I’m finally back home,” she commented.

“I am, princess. Mommy is very happy that we’re finally together again here at home and that you’re recovering really well,” she offered the six year old a smile before placing a long kiss on her forehead. “Is dinner ready?”

“Not yet, but daddy asked me to find you because Ollie is hungry,” Charlotte replied.

“Can you please tell daddy to feed her some formula tonight?” Fallon asked. “Since mommy is not feeling really good,”

“Ollie never drinks formula,” she stated with a frown. “She needs your breasts for food, doesn’t she, mommy?”

“She does, baby girl, but mommy can’t really give her that right now,” she murmured. _Not right now, nor ever again._ She thought to herself while glancing briefly at her breasts, thinking back to that morning, when she tried to feed her baby daughter, only to realize not a single drop of milk was making its way into the mouth of her hungry child. “I bought formula this morning so it should be on the counter, just ask your dad to make her a bottle, please, Charlie,”

“Okay, but I’m coming back here to stay with you until you stop crying,” Charlotte told her. “We should never be alone when we’re sad, mommy, even if you don’t want to tell me why you’re so sad,”

“Thank you, princess,” Fallon offered her a smile.

“You do know that daddy will ask questions, right?” The six year old spoke before heading out of the bathroom.

“I do, Charlie,” she nodded, “and I know that you and I are best friends and that we can tell each other everything but…” She paused. “The reason why I’m crying, well… it’s something that I need to talk about with daddy, first, okay? It’s a grown up conversation and you should not worry about it, okay?”

“It’s okay, mommy,” Charlotte replied, running towards her mother. “I love you and try not to cry until I come back to hug you!” She requested, giving her mother a loud smack on the cheek.

“Charlotte Grace! Don’t you dare run down the stairs, Miss Ridley!” Fallon screamed as soon as she heard the heavy sound of her daughter’s feet against the wooden floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it!!! Let me know what you think of it!!!


	41. Book Launch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was inspired by Carolina's tags on tumblr so let's thank her for that cause well... this just happened.
> 
> There are Marlowe visuals in this one so make sure to check the links throughout the chapter.

“Whiskey, please,” Liam requested the bartender across the counter.

“Drinking already?” Meghan, his agent, asked while taking a seat next to him at the bar.

“Yeah, well, you know how much I hate this kind of event,” he sighed, resting one arm on the counter’s marble top.

“As a writer, you should be a lot more excited about a book launch,” she mentioned. “Especially when you’ve been working on this one for over a year, Liam,” she added while looking around the room, paying careful attention to every single detail of the space, which had been perfectly decorated by the Fallon Unlimited’s team.

“I understand why book launches are important, Meghan, which is why I’m here but they’ll never be my thing,” Liam explained.

“It’s harder when Fallon isn’t here, I get it, but I suggest you put a smile on that pretty face of yours because your signing hour starts in ten minutes,” Meghan said seriously. “And please don’t get drunk,”

“I’m not drunk, Meghan, but I would love ten minutes of silence, if you don’t mind?” He countered, taking a sip of his drink. It certainly wasn’t easy when his wife wasn’t there, arm in arm with him, making sure he enjoyed his own book launch as best as possible.

“Whatever you want, writer boy, whatever you want,” she nodded. “Champagne, please,” she raised a hand to call for the bartender and as soon as her manicured fingers wrapped around the crystal flute, she stood back up on her feet and proceeded to walk away from the bar in order to give him the privacy he had just requested.

Pulling his iPhone out of the pocket of his pants, Liam held it in front of his face to unlock the screen before he could even scroll through the few notifications on the lock screen. There were approximately five different apps trying to get his attention but the only one that really mattered was the bright green one at the bottom of his home screen.

He couldn’t help but stare at his [background image](https://www.instagram.com/p/B4kvyhxFdrv/?igshid=jsezr13f6wpy), a photo of Charlotte from their trip to Vermont that past fall. She was standing in the backyard of the cabin they had rented for the week, surrounded by trees and leaves in both yellow and orange colors. She wore a light pink jumper, perfectly warm for being outside on a cold fall day, red Hunter rain boots and a white fluffy beanie with a huge pompom on top of it, her brown curls falling discreetly over her shoulders as she stared up at her mother with adoration plastered in her bright blue eyes as he snapped the photo.

His heart ached, missing the two most important girls in his life, but he knew that sometimes, things didn’t go according the plan. Their two year old had come down with the flu and when her fever spiked to one hundred earlier that morning, it only took a glance to each other for them to realize one of them was staying home that night. That one being Fallon.

A red balloon on the top right corner of the green app indicated Liam had three new messages and he could only hope they were from his wife. Tapping on the name he had had pinned for as long as he could remember, he chuckled at the photo Fallon had sent him, an adorable and heartwarming shot of their little girl sleeping with her head on her mother’s lap as she played with her hair. What bothered him the most, was the fact that she had sent him that photo, along with two other texts, two hours back and he had only had time to check them at that moment.

**Fallon:** _Your princess is sound asleep and recovering._

**Fallon:** _Temp down to 98F._

**Liam:** _Happy to know she’s doing better. Gonna be stuck signing books for an hour._

**Liam:** _Give her a kiss goodnight and tell her daddy loves her to the moon and back._

After replying, he slipped his phone back in his pocket before finishing his drink in one gulp. As he settled the glass down on the counter, he took a deep breath then turned around on his heels to head towards the desk where Meghan was already waiting for him.

* * *

“Who should I make it out to?” Liam asked, reaching for the book on the table and barely looking up at the next in line after having signed over thirty books already.

“ _Chalie_ ,” his head shot up immediately at the sound of the familiar, most adorable voice he had ever heard in his entire life.

“What-” he gasped, his eyes widening at the sight in front of him.

Liam was so engrossed in the thought of how badly he wanted to be home, taking care of this baby girl instead of signing book to strangers, that he didn’t even notice the woman handing him a copy of his recently released book was the woman of his dreams, the love of his life. Not only was Fallon standing there, right across the table from him, but she was also carrying their two year old against the right side of her body.

“ _Chalie_ is fine,” the two year old repeated, glancing down at the book beneath his hands.

“Alright,” Liam nodded, a smile forming on his lips after receiving a reassuring nod from his wife.

_To the light of my life, the most precious and best surprise the world has even given me and my eternal baby girl._

_I love you to the moon and back._

_Daddy <3_

“Here,” he replied, handing her the hardcover book he had just signed.

“Thanks, daddy,” Charlotte offered him one of her brightest smiles while hugging the book tightly against her chest.

“We will be waiting for you,” Fallon told him. “Miss Ridley here asked for some fries,” she chuckled.

“Is she okay?” Liam asked before they could walk away from the desk.

“She is,” the brunette nodded. “I will sit with her at a quiet corner. Join us when you can,”

“I will,” he replied, throwing the next guest a smile before accepting the book the young blonde had in her hand.

It took Liam about half an hour to finally approach the table his girls were sitting at. In fact, the table that Fallon was sitting at as Charlotte seemed a lot more interested on swirling across the floor, watching as her brown sequined dress flew with her movements and sparkled under the bright yellow lights from the book launch’s decoration. Her feet would leave the floor, one at a time, as if she was tap dancing to the soft song playing in the background.

“I see no fever is going to take you down,” Liam exclaimed before enveloping the two years old in his arm, pulling her up against his chest before swirling around as he tightened the grip of his arms around her small body.

“Daddy book launch!” Charlotte threw her arms up in the air.

“Yeah, daddy’s book launch has definitely gotten a lot better,” he spoke, glancing at Fallon.

“Mommy me match, daddy!” She told him. “See?” She extended her arm towards her mother, pointing to her top with her index finger.

“I see, princess!” Liam giggled. “It’s a [pretty dress](https://www.instagram.com/p/B6vak0nlP_S/?igshid=njv9ee44hsdt) and I love this black bow on you hair,” he commented. “Is it new?”

“Yes, it is,” Charlotte nodded. “ _Bwand_ new,”

Fallon was sitting down, one leg crossed over the other, and he couldn’t resist giving her the once over since their own daughter had just mentioned her mother’s outfit. While her top was the piece that stood out the most, his eyes started at the black Louboutin’s on her feet, traveling up the black high-rise flared pants until he reached the brown sequined cropped top that matched their daughter’s dress.

Its neckline provided him with a great view of her collarbone and the soft curves of her breasts, but what caught his attention the most were its sleeves. While they started with a thin, spaghetti strap on her shoulders, the sequined fabric fell loosely down her arms, covering her elbows and a few inches of her forearms while her shoulder and half of her upper arm remained totally exposed. Her waist-long brown locks were falling down her chest and much to his surprise, completely straightened, a hairstyle he hardly ever saw her wear.

“Another one, baby?” Fallon asked, offering her daughter a French fry.

“Mayo, please,” Charlotte requested before opening her mouth.

“Dip in mayo,” she began as Liam took two steps forward.

“Bite,” Liam added, sitting down at the chair next to Fallon so the two year old would be at the perfect height for her mother to feed her.

“Dip in ketchup,” Fallon continued, dipping the remaining half of the fry into the tiny ketchup cup.

“Eat all!” Charlotte exclaimed before accepting the food. “Yum!” She murmured while chewing. “Again, mommy?”

“Do we have to do this for every single French fry, princess?” She asked.

“Yes,” she nodded. “Dip mayo,” she continued, shaking her head from left to right as she bounced on her father’s legs in excitement.

“Bite…” Fallon could only roll her eyes as she waited for Charlotte to bite the French fry she was holding between her fingers.

“Dip ketchup,” the youngest Ridley sang.

“Eat all,” Liam tickled his daughter before she could eat the rest of the fry.

“Daddy!” She laughed loudly.

“May I ask what you two are doing here?” He looked between mother and daughter.

“Well, she woke up from her nap feeling better and she begged me to come,” Fallon explained. “We bought these matching outfits two weeks ago and she has been talking about wearing it tonight ever since but she’s been keeping it a surprise from you,”

“You like it?” Charlotte asked him.

“Of course I do! You two are the two most beautiful girls in this room!” Liam replied with a smile as Fallon continued feeding her French fries.

“Daddy’s night,” she spoke softly. “Book night,”

“Yes, princess. It’s daddy’s book launch tonight but it’s kind of a boring party,” he told her.

“I like _paties_!” The two year old exclaimed.

“It’s certainly a lot better when I have you two to keep me company,” Liam admitted.

“Have _fwy_ , daddy,” leaning over the table, Charlotte reached for the plate of French fries and grabbed one from the top. “ _Hewe_ ,” she mentioned while holding it in front of his mouth, waiting for him to open it so she could feed him.

“Do I get one too?” Fallon asked, throwing her daughter a pout as if she was jealous of all the attention he was getting from their baby girl.

“ _Hewe_ , mama,” she smiled before feeding Fallon two fries.

“Liam!” Meghan called out. “Oh hi Fallon,” she quickly added once she realized his wife had actually made it to his book launch.

“Meghan,” the brunette offered her a polite smile.

“It’s time for your speech,” she told the writer.

“I will be there in a minute,”

“ _Nother fwy_ , daddy?” Charlotte asked.

* * *

“It all started on a cold winter’s night, in front of City Hall, with a total stranger asking me to marry her, and not in an usual, proposal kind of way, but by offering me a fat check. A stranger that turned my world upside down and that inspired me to become the writer I am today. A stranger that, in one way or another, led me to write the book that really opened doors for my writing career,” Liam looked around the crowded room, offering some of the guests a polite and thankful smile as he began his speech. “That stranger is that woman standing right there,” he pointed in his wife’s direction, his eyes skipping a beat the moment his eyes landed on her.

Fallon was standing in the middle of the crowd, watching him in total awe as she always did at his book launches. That night, however, she was holding their daughter in her arms, wearing a top that matched Charlotte’s dress entirely, their outfits sparkling under the many lights of the roof. She had the most beautiful smile on her face and he was surprised to see his two year old was actually paying attention to him, instead of focusing on anything more interesting than him talking to a crowd. Her legs were around Fallon’s waist and he could see that she kept babbling some things that he only wished he could hear in her mother’s while gesturing to the stage.

“The woman that entered my life by offering me the biggest payday of my life. The woman that in no time, became my best friend and the one that just as fast, became the love of my life,” he chuckled.

“Down, mommy,” Charlotte murmured. “Daddy! Daddy!” She screamed and before Fallon could fully understand what was happening, her two year old was letting go of her hand and running towards the stage.

“I’m here tonight to thank you all for coming and for being a part of this fictional journey with me. I haven’t published in a while but I’m happy to see that I still have so many fans out there, interested in what I have to offer,” he continued. “But I would also like to thank the ones that inspire me the most. Like this princess over here,” he paused when Charlotte made her way up the couple of steps towards the stage, taking her up in his arms and settling her on the right side of his body before turning back towards the crowd. “This little one here has just turned two and let me tell you something. You don’t know you want a messy house, a crazy sleeping schedule or a troublemaker ready to paint all your walls with crayons until you have one of these,” he glanced at his daughter, the proudest smile plastered on his lips.

“At some point, I stopped thinking of writing as a job, as a career. It may have started with her mother but tonight, what I can tell you is that this little one is my biggest inspiration,” he bounced her softly and her soft laugh echoed around the room for being too close to the microphone when he lightly tickled her stomach with the tip of his fingers. “The one that makes me become a better man every day, the one that brings me to write things that will inspire you all to make this world a better place because when you have a little girl or a little boy, like I have this baby girl right here, this is the only thing you can wish for. You can only wish that what you do today will change the world, even if only a little bit by day, into becoming a better place for our children.”

“This book was based on one of the most special days I’ve ever shared with that woman over there,” he pointed at Fallon and suddenly, everyone was turning to stare at the brunette who had just reached for a glass of champagne, her eyes flooding with tears as her husband continued his speech. “It’s based on a story that I created when I asked her to be mine forever. A story that was only ours to know for five years, until now. You’re the love of my life, Fallon, and I thank you for everything. For standing by my side and supporting me through every step of this career, for being my one and only muse but most of all, babe, for giving me the most wonderful gift of all,” he smiled, watching as Charlotte fiddled with his tie. “They say that good things take time and I now understand that, after all those times you rejected me,” he chuckled when he noticed her famous eye roll in the middle of the crowd. “But to be honest, _really great_ things happen in the blink of an eye,” he glanced at the two year old. “Thank you for bringing into this world a tiny version of you, with maybe one or two of my genes,”

“The purest and most extraordinary little girl that is now the reason why I write. I’m glad that you’ve chosen me to spend the rest of your life with, Fallon, and I couldn’t be happier to be doing this with you. You may be my publisher but above everything else, you’re my wife and the mother of my baby girl…” At that moment, he could swear everyone in the crowd had disappeared, leaving only Fallon in the room, standing there as a complete mess while listening to his words. “I wouldn’t be standing here tonight if it weren’t for you, babe, and I certainly wouldn’t be half as happy as I am today, if you hadn’t said yes that day. No book will ever express how much I love you because there are no words in our vocabulary that are powerful enough to describe how I feel but I would like to keep trying. Thank you, Fallon, for everything,” he offered her a smile, throwing her a wink as he finished his speech then thanking everyone as the crowded applauded.

“Hi! I’m _Chalie_!” The two year old leaned towards the microphone and the guests couldn’t help but laugh at her. “My daddy the best!” She added and Liam immediately turned towards Fallon, who was currently shaking her head with one hand on her forehead. “Good night!” She concluded, raising her right arm to wave at everyone.

“I love you, princess,” Liam spoke while tracings his fingers down her face.

“Love you too, daddy,” Charlotte replied before throwing herself at him, her small palms flat on his cheeks as she rested her nose against his and stared deeply into his matching blue eyes.

A moment that would be cherished in his heart forever but that would feel like they had been frozen in time every time he looked at the large framed photo above the grand piano in their living room. A shot that had been caught on camera by one of the photographers in charge of covering the book launch and that was worth millions in the eyes of the Ridley’s.

There was something about the way she looked at him, the way he could see her mother in the ocean blue of her eyes, that made him fall in love with her all over again. For those few seconds his daughter looked so carefully at him, he could only feel like he was back in the light colored hospital room in the Carrington Wing, listening to the exhausted breathing of his wife as they heard their baby girl cry for the first time. The day he had fallen so deeply in love with _both_ of them that he wondered if his heart really had all that love to give.

What had started as a boring book launch had turned into one of the best nights of his life from the moment he laid his eyes on the two girls, in matching sequined outfits, asking for his autograph. The woman that had turned his world upside down from that night outside City Hall and the smaller version of her, the one that had showed him what happiness really felt like and what love really was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it!! Let me know your thoughts!!


	42. Mystery Inc.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know... I'm ten days late for this but I just couldn't push this idea out of my brain so yeah, here's a Halloween chapter in the second week of november.

“ _ Hawoween _ !” Charlotte exclaimed, probably for the hundredth time ever since leaving the Ridley’s mansion.

The soon to be two years old was in the backseat, properly secured in her car seat behind the passenger’s seat, but her attention was entirely on the world outside the family’s Tesla as the streets, the buildings and the people walking by were different from anything she had ever seen. 

There were pumpkins scattered across her hometown, spider webs hanging from every window and practically every single person was wearing a costume as they strolled down the streets of Atlanta that afternoon.

Charlotte was only ten months old on her first Halloween and because of that age, Fallon and Liam had decided against doing anything for the holiday. 

However, Halloween was one of the holidays that Liam enjoyed the most and even though their little girl was still too young to go out trick or treating, knocking on houses with her friends and filling her bucket with all kinds of candy, he still wanted it to be a special day. 

September had barely ended when he arrived home with a large box in hand, telling his wife he had already arranged their costumes for the 31st of october. Admittedly, he didn’t even know what they were going to do for Halloween at that point but if there was one thing that he was sure of, was that they were all dressing up for the holiday. He had spent weeks planning the perfect set, thinking of every possible costume they could wear as a family and as soon as he thought of the Warner Studios movie, he knew it was the perfect choice.

“Yes, princess, today’s Halloween, which is why we’re all dressed up as characters,” Fallon explained while turning around on her seat to check on her daughter. “Are you excited?” She asked, throwing one of her arms forward so she could tickle the baby girl in the brown fleece jumpsuit.

“Yeah, mama,” she nodded.

“Grandma Alexis told me that she’s throwing you the best Halloween dinner ever, Charlie,” Liam spoke up and they both chuckled when the one year old squirmed in her seat, kicking her legs and clapping her hands as she screamed in enthusiasm.

“ _ Pawty _ !” Charlotte shouted.

“Daddy and I think we’re still too young to go trick-or-treating but I’m pretty sure you’re going to have a lot of fun at grandma’s tonight, princess,” Fallon told her. “I heard she decorated the entire property, just for you!”

“Oh, she certainly did,” the oldest Ridley added when the car reached the front gate and the two security men approached his window, both dressed as royal guards.

“Mr. Ridley, Mrs. Ridley, good afternoon. Mrs. Colby is expecting you,” Paul spoke. “Princess Charlotte, you look adorable in that costume,”

“What do we say to Paul, Charlie?” Liam requested, glancing at her daughter.

“Thank you,” she exclaimed, kicking her legs back and forth as she couldn’t wait to get inside the property that had been decorated as to look like England.

“Something tells me someone is going to be a lot more spoiled than she already is with everyone calling her Princess Charlotte,” he chuckled, hitting the accelerator pedal once the gate was open so he could drive towards the back garage.

“Don’t forget you were the one to give her that nickname when she was born,” Fallon reminded him.

“Yeah, because she’s my princess,” Liam shrugged. “But just because she’s  _ my _ princess, that doesn’t mean she’s  _ a _ princess,”

“We certainly treat her like a princess,” she admitted.

“ _Pwincess_ _Chalie_!” Charlotte spoke up, interrupting her parents conversation once she understood what they were talking about.

“Well, she’s not even two years old yet… I guess I can handle a royal baby in the house if it means she’s happy,” he mentioned.

“As if you’re not going to treat her like a princess even when she’s an adult,” Fallon rolled her eyes. “Complain all you want, babe, maybe even blame me for spoiling her too much but you’re like a super dad to her. You’re at least half of the reason why she thinks she’s a princess,” she explained while getting out of the car, quickly reaching for the handle on the back door in order to get their baby girl out of her car seat.

“You’re here!” They all turned at the familiar voice, three pairs of blue eyes landing on the woman by the door, dressed in a long white dress, a velvet blue satchel and a diamond crown on top of her head as her blonde strands fell in soft curls down to her shoulder.

“Queen Elizabeth II, of course,” the young woman couldn’t help but shake her head, giggling as she recognized her mother’s choice of costume.

“Oh my god, you guys look amazing!” Alexis exclaimed.

“Go say hi to grandma, princess,” Fallon instructed while settling Charlotte on the ground.

While Liam kept his eyes on their daughter as she ran towards her grandmother, minding the few steps between the rock path and the porch that led to the mansion before jumping in her arms, Fallon took a moment to fix her purple dress. Staring at herself on the car’s window, she adjusted the bright green handkerchief around her neck and the purple headband that matched her dress perfectly.

Rounding the car, she offered her husband a smile before taking a look at her daughter, laughing when the one year old tried to steal her grandmother’s crown. His first instinct when she approached him was to place both hands on her waist, pulling her closer to him so he could lean in for a kiss.

“You look really good,” Liam whispered against her lips.

“So do you,” Fallon threw him a wink, raising her hands up to his shoulders. “Very handsome, this husband of mine,” she added with a smirk, tracing her thumb over the cobalt blue collar of the shirt he wore beneath the white sweater.

“You think so?” He questioned teasingly as she adjusted the red handkerchief around his neck.

“Of course I do,” she chuckled. “Come on,” giving him one last peck on the lips, she locked their fingers together so they could head towards the door.

“Who is this beautiful dog visiting me?” Alexis asked the baby girl.

“ _ Cooby _ doo!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Woof woof!”

“Let me just say, I’m in love with your costumes!” She told them.

“Does the Queen of England have a mystery for us to solve, Your Royal Highness?” Liam asked playfully.

“Oh, Fred, I’m sure there will be something around here,” Alexis replied, tickling her granddaughter before setting her on the floor. “Dinner should be ready in about half an hour so why don’t we walk around the backyard for a while?” She suggested, looking between Charlotte and the two adults.

“ _ Cooby nacks _ , mama!” She requested, climbing on her mother’s light purple boots so she could reach for the purple purse she was carrying.

“Scooby has to solve a mystery first,” Fallon spoke, pointing towards the backyard that had been decorated with Great Britain flags, string lights, different sizes of pumpkin and, much to the child’s excitement, buckets of candy everywhere.

“There’s one bucket filled with Lindt truffles, can you find that one?” Alexis asked her granddaughter. “It’s a blue one,” she whispered in her ear.

“ _ Twuffles _ !” Charlotte screamed before she set off running.

As soon as she spotted the first blue bucket, she immediately threw it on the floor hoping it would be filled with the chocolate her grandmother had just promised her. However, there was nothing but wrinkled paper.

“No  _ twuffles _ ,” she turned towards her parents with a disappointed pout on her lips and tears pooling in her eyes.

“There’s a clue in here, princess,” Fallon spoke while approaching her daughter, crouching down on the floor to grab the small card that had fallen off the bucket. “It says that you’re supposed to look near a big tree,” she instructed.

“ _ Thewe _ , mama?” Charlotte questioned, pointing towards the tree that she considered to be the biggest one in her grandmother’s backyard.

“Go check,” she encouraged her.

“ _ Twuffles _ ,  _ whewe awe _ you?” She screamed while running towards the tree and the three adults burst out laughing at her enthusiasm, her sentence resembling one of the most famous catchphrases of the characters they were dressed as.

“Thank you for this, mother,” Fallon turned towards the blonde.

“Nothing to thank for, dear,” Alexis offered her daughter a smile. “You have no idea how much I regret never doing this kind of thing for you, Fallon,” she confessed, glancing at her granddaughter when the one year old’s laugh echoed around them. “To think I could have made you this happy back when you were this age…”

“Mama!” Charlotte called out, bending over to reach for the object she had just found.

“I’m glad you’re here to do this kind of thing for her,” she told her mother. “What’s done is done, don’t worry about it,” she spoke before walking towards her daughter. “What did you find, princess?”

“Look!” She raised a bucket in a pumpkin shape. “ _ Cawd _ too!” She added, pushing one hand inside the bucket to give her mother the paper card. “ _ Whewe twuffles _ , mama?”

“It says here that you have to look for a treasure now,” Fallon told her. “This bucket is for you to carry your candy,”

“Charlie, why don’t you look in there?” Liam suggested, pointing towards a large wooden chest located in the middle of the backyard.

“Come, mama,” Charlotte grabbed her mother’s hand then ran to the wooden chest.

“Let’s open it together?” She suggested and the one year old nodded as they both placed their hands on the object.

“Wow!” The baby girl screamed when she saw what was inside, her eyes sparkling in pure joy and excitement when she noticed the amount of candy and chocolate she had just found. “ _ Cooby _ dooby doo!” She jumped up and down in enthusiasm.

“Looks like someone solved the mystery!” Liam exclaimed while approaching the two most important girls in his life.

“Mine!” Charlotte spoke, biting on her bottom lip just like her mother used to do when she was concentrated in one thing as she reached for the candy to fill her pumpkin bucket.

“She’s so happy,” he commented, a smile plastered on his lips as he placed one hand on his wife’s lower back.

“She is,” Fallon replied, resting her head on his shoulder as they watched her gather as much chocolate and candy as she could. There were all kinds of candy in there, Reese’s, Kit Kat, M&M’s, Milky Way and many others, possibly more chocolate than Charlotte had ever seen in her life since she wasn’t exactly old enough to eat them.

“ _ Twuffle _ !” She murmured, quickly unwrapping the chocolate and throwing it inside her mouth before her parents could even stop her.

“You’re not supposed to be eating them before dinner, little one!” Liam crouched down behind her and threw his arms around her small body, pulling her towards him and tickling her until she let go of all the candy she was holding.

“Daddy!” Charlotte laughed loudly, begging for him to let go of her as he continued to tickle her stomach.

“Is Scooby ticklish?” He teased her.

“Mama, help!”

“Let her breath, babe,” Fallon shook her head, chuckling lightly.

“No more truffles before dinner, princess,” Liam told her. “Promise?”

“ _ Pwomise _ , daddy,” she nodded in response.

“Good girl,” he offered her a smile. “Now let’s go thank grandma for all of this candy, alright?” He asked while reaching for the bucket that she had already filled all the way up to the brim.

“ _ Thewe mowe _ ,” Charlotte pointed at the candy still in the wooden chest.

“One bucket is enough for you, Charlie,” Liam’s tone was serious.

“ _ Whewe cooby nacks _ ?” She turned towards her mother.

“You actually bought Scooby Snacks?” Alexis frowned.

“No,” Fallon replied shortly. “It’s a healthy cookie she loves but earlier today Liam told her that they were Scooby Snacks and now she wants to eat them all the time,” she giggled.

“I haven’t heard you thank grandma for all the chocolate,” Liam spoke up.

“Thanks,  _ gwandma _ !” Charlotte exclaimed, hugging Alexis’ legs before raising her arms up in the air for her to pick her up. “Love you,  _ gwandma _ ,” she whispered in her ear, placing a loud kiss on her cheek.

“I love you too, Charlie,” Alexis smiled. “What do you say we go inside now to eat some dinner?” She suggested. “Are you hungry?”

“Yeah,” she nodded.

“Do you want to know what a little birdie told me earlier this afternoon?” She questioned as they walked into the house.

“Yeah,” she repeated.

“That those who eat everything will get lava cake for dessert,”

“Lava cake?” Charlotte’s bright blue eyes sparkled.

“Children under two are not really supposed to eat sweets but your mommy and daddy were kind enough to allow one lava cake for their little girl on Halloween,” Alexis explained. “But baby Charlie will only get one if she eats her entire dinner,”

“And  _ mowe twuffles _ ?” She asked, clearly outsmarting everyone in the room.

“That depends on how many vegetables you’re going to eat, Miss Ridley,” Liam told her.

“No fun,” Charlotte shook her head before sighing in frustration.

“Oh! The Scooby Gang!” Kirby exclaimed the moment they stepped into the dining room. “Fred, Daphne and oh my god, isn’t this little one the cutest Scooby I have ever seen!” She told the youngest Ridley.

“Candy!” She glanced between Kirby and the pumpkin bucket her father was carrying for her.

“I can see you found a lot of candy out in the backyard!” The redhead, dressed as a basketball team cheerleader, replied.

“I did,” Charlotte nodded. “Want lava cake now,” she requested.

“We’re going to eat dinner first remember, princess?” Fallon intervened, reaching for the one year old before taking a seat at the dining table. “Hi Adam,” she waved at her brother when he returned from the kitchen with a drink in each hand, dressed as a basketball player.

“Oh, if it isn’t mother’s favorite part of the family,” he rolled his eyes.

“Adam,” Alexis threw him a glare.

“I thought Daphne was a redhead,” he teased his sister, handing Kirby one of the drinks before stealing the purple headband from Fallon’s hair and running around the table.

“Why don’t you mind your own business, Adam?” Fallon suggested in a mocking tone.

“I thought Charlie was the only kid here tonight,” Alexis spoke up.

“He started it!” The brunette complained.

“For god’s sake, you two!” The blonde rolled her eyes in disbelief at the scene unfolding in front of her. “Adam, give it back and stop acting like a child!”

“You have candy?” Charlotte asked her uncle.

“Sorry, Charlotte, only alcohol,” he raised his glass before taking a sip of his drink.

“Not  _ foy _ kids,” she shook her head in disapproval. “You mean,” she told him.

“Come on, Charlotte, I’m your fun uncle!” Adam countered.

“You not,” Charlotte frowned.

“Is that what you’ve been teaching your daughter, Fallon?” He asked, giving the hair accessory back to her.

“Is she wrong?” Fallon questioned.

“Well,” Adam began.

“Exactly,” she shrugged. “Now stop acting like that because I’m pretty sure Charlotte is behaving a lot better than you tonight,”

* * *

“What’s so funny?” Liam asked while they walked down the hallway of the second floor of the Ridley Mansion. 

Charlotte was sound asleep in her father’s arms, her legs wrapped around his waist, her head resting on his shoulder and her face buried in the crook of his neck, while Fallon walked beside them, giggling at something she had just seen on her phone.

“This photo my mother took of us,” Fallon informed him. “Not funny, just… perfect,” she turned the screen towards him.

The young couple was sitting on the large couch, Fallon leaning against his body as he kept one arm over her shoulders, his fingers playing with her long brown waves as they watched their baby daughter in total awe. Charlotte was standing up between her parents and the coffee table, digging into the bowl of lava cake and vanilla ice cream that Alexis had given her only a few minutes before the picture was taken. 

As soon as the blonde announced she was going to take a photo of the small family, Charlotte looked up and smiled brightly, her eyes shining as focused on the round cameras of her grandmother’s phone. The one year old had traces of chocolate sauce and ice cream all over her face but she couldn’t care less about it as her dessert was simply delicious.

Fallon couldn’t resist laughing at their daughter’s pose but Liam was too busy gazing at his wife to notice what Charlotte was up to at the moment, his free hand lying on the brunette’s legs as he traced the tip of his fingers across her stomach. That scene described their family perfectly and Fallon couldn’t be happier that Alexis had managed to catch it on camera.

“I’m going to put her down,” Liam told her.

“I have a surprise for you,” Fallon replied, finally letting him in on the secret she had been keeping for the past two weeks. “Back in our room,”

“Oh god,” he swallowed hard.

“As much as I enjoyed our day as Fred and Daphne, it’s a family costume,” she explained. “I know how much you love Halloween so, well,” she paused dramatically. “I might have gotten us something special for tonight,”

“Give me five minutes,” Liam requested once they reached the door to Charlotte’s bedroom.

“Take your time,” Fallon offered him a smile. “When you get to our bedroom, take off this Fred’s costume and lie on the bed,” she instructed. “The rest is up to me,”

“You’re going to kill me, aren’t you?” He chuckled.

“I really hope I don’t because I have interesting plans for you tonight, babe,” she threw him a playful and devious wink.

“Then let’s hope little miss Scooby here doesn’t wake up when I put her down,” Liam whispered before stepping into their baby girl’s bedroom.

It took Liam about ten minutes to head to the master bedroom and then five minutes to remove his costume, just as Fallon had asked him to. He could hear her feet moving across the wooden floor of the closet and as he lied down on the king sized bed, all he could do was think about all the possibilities and all the costumes his wife could have chosen to surprise him. 

He knew she wasn’t exactly a costume kind of person, which meant he was even more excited to find out what she had planned for that night. Leaning against the headboard in nothing but his black Calvin Klein boxers, he kept his eyes on the door that led to the closet, waiting impatiently for it to open.

“What do you think?” Fallon asked, finally revealing herself as she walked back into the bedroom.

His jaw dropped instantly and Liam could swear his eyes had just jumped out of their sockets when he noticed his wife standing right in front of him, wearing the iconic Princess Leia metal bikini and her hair in a long braid cascading down her right shoulder. As she swayed her hips to head towards the bed, he could only feel all the blood in his veins rushing south and for a couple of minutes, he was nothing but completely quiet, still trying to process what was right in front of his eyes.

“I think someone is not getting any sleep tonight,” it was all he said as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him, throwing her on the mattress before climbing on top of her as he crashed his lips against hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this light chapter of fluff! I apologize for any mistakes because I didn't edit it but let me know what you think of it!!


	43. Rebel

“Girls!” Fallon screamed from the bottom of the stairs. “Why are none of you down here?” She questioned, glancing at the iPhone in her hand. “Dear lord,” she sighed when she noticed how late she was.

Rolling her eyes and groaning in complaint, she placed one hand on the handrail and started making her way up the grand staircase that led to the second floor of the mansion. While the three of them had had breakfast together, Charlotte had taken Olivia back to her bedroom so they could brush their teeth together and finish getting ready.

“Charlotte! Olivia!” The brunette continued, walking down the hallway in the direction of her eldest daughter’s bedroom.

“I’m  _ hewe _ ,” the two year old stepped out of her own bedroom with her yellow backpack on her back, her favorite Mike Wazowski stuffed toy under her left arm, her pillow under her right one and her shoes on the wrong feet.

“Liv, didn’t Charlie help you put on your shoes?” She asked, crouching down on the floor so she could switch the two black ballerina flats while the youngest Ridley held onto her mother’s shoulder.

“No,” Olivia shook her head.

“You two do understand that I have a meeting in forty minutes and I still have to drop you at La Mirage, right?” Fallon murmured. “Charlotte Grace!” She shouted.

“Mom! My  _ eaws _ !” She complained, letting go of both her pillow and her stuffed toy before covering her ears with her tiny hands.

“Pumpkin, wait for mommy here, okay?” She spoke softly. “Did you get everything?”

“Yeah,” Olivia nodded. “Daddy _pwomise_ me a new Mini Coopey, mommy,” she informed her. “So I got my _othey_ _caws_ too,” she added while gesturing to her backpack.

“We agreed that you’re only getting that Mini Cooper if you eat all of your food, Liv, remember?”

“I don’t know,” she shook her head from one side to another, shrugging as she held both hands up in the air, palms up.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know the rules, Miss Ridley,” Fallon chuckled, placing a kiss on her daughter’s forehead before standing back up. “Your sister’s already giving me plenty of hard work,” she sighed, reaching for the pillow and the toy she had dropped on the floor.

“Is mommy  _ stwessed _ ?” Olivia asked with a pout, grabbing her mother’s hand so they could walk towards Charlotte’s bedroom together.

“Mommy is, pumpkin,” she replied, her voice so low it was barely a whisper.

“Why?”

“Because mommy doesn’t like taking care of the two of you by herself,” Fallon admitted. “It’s just,” she paused once she realized she shouldn’t have said those words. “Daddy and I have always been a team… ever since before Charlie and you were born and now we’re doing this on our own and some days are just harder than others, pumpkin, that’s all,” she explained even though she was aware her two year old daughter wouldn’t understand much.

“Mommy needs a hug,” Olivia spread her arms wide open then threw herself at her mother’s legs, hugging her as tight as she could before placing a soft kiss on her thigh through the fabric of her dark blue dress.

“Thank you, pumpkin,” she offered her daughter a smile, running her hand softly through the two year old’s blonde waves. “Charlotte, may I ask why you’re not ready?” She asked while stepping into her eldest’s bedroom.

“Because I’m not going,” Charlotte shrugged while walking from her bed to her bean bag after having just disconnected her brand new iPad from the charger.

“That’s not an option today, I suppose,” Fallon quickly countered. “I have a lot to do at work today and your father is waiting for you,”

“It’s Saturday,” she reminded her. “Why do you have to go to work anyway?”

“Because this artist I’m meeting is only in Atlanta for the weekend, which means I won’t have the opportunity to close the deal if you keep complaining,” she explained. “Come on, up!” She demanded. “I can’t be late and your dad has already texted me asking where we are,”

“ _ He _ moved out,” the young brunette continued. “He chose to walk away from us. If he wants to see me, he can come home,” she plopped down on the pink bean bag then crossed her arms in front of her chest while the Disney + app loaded. “Carol is here, I can stay as long as there’s an adult in the house,”

“Don’t you want to play with your sister?” Fallon questioned. “I also think dad is going to take you two to the mall today,”

“I don’t need anything at the moment,” Charlotte murmured.

“Mommy, can we go?” Olivia asked, staring up at her mother. “Want to see daddy,”

“Guess you’re going to enjoy the benefits of being an only child today,” Fallon told the two year old. “Daddy mentioned something about buying four pints of ice cream so I suppose you’re going to have to take care of them all by yourself?” She teased, glancing at Charlotte hoping it would get her to reconsider her choice of staying at the mansion.

“I’m  _ not _ going,” Charlotte insisted. “This is my home, not that hotel. I’m not spending the weekend at a hotel room,”

“Are you sure?” She asked, giving her daughter the chance to choose between what she should do and what she shouldn’t.

“Yes. I’m eight, I’m a big girl,” she nodded.

“I told Carol not to bother cooking anything this weekend since you two were supposed to stay with your daughter,” Fallon began. “So she’s going to spend these couple of days organizing the kitchen, cleaning dishes and our crystals and polishing the silver,” she explained. “I believe there’s some mac and cheese leftovers from last night in the fridge and I’m pretty sure you know where the microwave is, right? Since you’re such a big girl,”

“I am,” she muttered, selecting a movie while avoiding her mother’s eyes.

“You understand that dad is going to be devastated, right?”

“I’m not the one who moved out,” Charlotte repeated. “I’m also not the one who  _ let _ him move out,”

“Then feel free to enjoy your Saturday by yourself,” Fallon spoke while taking a couple of steps in her direction. “This will stay in my office until I get back,” she informed her daughter, reaching for the white device before locking its screen. “And I will also be turning off the wifi for the day as well,” she added.

“Fine!” She exclaimed.

“Are you going to change your mind?”

“No,” Charlotte shook her head. “I will just play with Daisy,”

“Make sure to use the landline to call your dad to explain why you’re not going,” Fallon said seriously before taking Olivia’s hand in hers to walk out of the bedroom. “You and I are going to have a very important talk when I get back from the office so I suggest you use your day to think about how you’re acting and the way you’re talking to me,”

* * *

“How are we even supposed to live without the internet, Daisy?” Charlotte complained, turning her head to her right so she was facing the bulldog, her back against the cushion seat while her legs hung from the back of the couch and her hair fell down to the floor. “I’m bored!” She groaned, giggling when Daisy stood up and started licking her face. “I feel you, girl,”

“Charlotte, your sandwich is ready,” Carol stepped into the living room.

“Finally!” She exclaimed. “I’m starving,”

“Why don’t you call your dad?” The cook suggested. “Maybe he can come pick you up for a nice dinner,”

“I’m mad at him,” Charlotte replied as they headed towards the large kitchen. “He broke mom’s heart and he doesn’t really deserve my company right now,”

“You shouldn’t say that kind of thing about your dad, Charlie,” Carol commented. “In spite of what’s happening between him and your mom, whatever’s happening in their marriage, it should never affect your relationship with them,” she explained. “We all know you and Fallon have a special bond but that doesn’t mean you’re right to be mad at your dad just because you want to be on your mother’s side,”

“He left us, Carol!” The eight year old threw her arms up in the air. “He packed a suitcase and walked through that door! He literally walked away from me, mom, Ollie and Daisy!”

“Do you know  _ why _ he did that, Charlie?”

“Because they won’t stop fighting, I suppose,” she shrugged.

“Relationships are very hard, Charlotte,” Carol began. “Marriage is one of the hardest things a couple will ever go through and you’ll never understand it fully until you get married but there’s a lot you don’t know about their relationship,”

“That’s because they don’t tell me anything,” Charlotte murmured while taking the two sandwiches out of the small grill. “Here, I made you one,” she offered Carol a smile before handing her one of the plates.

“Thank you, sweetie,” she replied, running her hand softly through the young girl’s long brown waves. “What I’m trying to tell you here, Charlie, is that you don’t know exactly why your dad decided to move out and maybe you don’t need to know,” she continued. “You’re only a child, Charlie. Sometimes parents keep stuff from us for own good, to protect us,”

“How is dad leaving protecting us?” She questioned, looking down to the floor when tears started pooling in her eyes. “Mom cries every single night, Carol. She tries to hide it from us but I know she’s always crying… and Ollie and I miss him like crazy even though he comes for dinner every other night,”

“If you miss him so much, why are you here?” Carol asked back. “Lying upside down on the couch while talking to the dog?”

“Because I’m mad at him and he needs to know that,”

“You just told me your mom cries every night and I can only assume your dad is not a lot better because if there’s one thing I know, little one, is that those two love each other more than anything in the word,” she offered the three year old a smile. “Don’t you think that having their daughter rebel against them will only add to their pain?”

“What about  _ my _ pain, Carol?”

“You still have both of them, Charlie,” she spoke softly. “Imagine what it must be like to be losing the person you love the most… that’s how it feels for them but you, dear? You will always have them, no matter what,” she reassured her. “Liam will always be your dad and Fallon will always be your mom and whether they are together or not, that will never change, not in a million years,”

“It’s never going to be the same if daddy doesn’t live here, Carol,” Charlotte sighed. “He bought this house for mom all those years ago and this is where their story is!”

“I know it’s hard, Charlie. I understand how much it hurts because my parents weren’t together when I was growing up but they didn’t love each other,” Carol explained. “Your parents do love each other. A lot, as a matter of fact,” she added. “Maybe all they need is some time apart to figure things out… but sometimes you just have to be selfless enough to put their need above your own,” she offered the eight year old a comforting smile. “Be nice to your mom, Charlie. She needs you more than ever at this moment,”

“Yeah, I think I was too rude to her this morning,” she finally admitted. “Do you think she will forgive me, Carol?”

“I think so, dear, as long as you apologize to her as soon as she comes home,”

“I will,” Charlotte nodded. “Maybe I should give daddy a call too… I miss him,”

“Would you like anything else?” Carol asked while taking the empty plates to the sink.

“No, Carol, thank you,” she shook her head. “I should probably go get the phone to call daddy and apologize… then I will head back up to my room to plan what I’m going to tell mommy,” she informed the family’s cook.

“You have a great heart, Charlie,”

“I just want daddy to come home, Carol, so we can finally be a family again,” she whispered, clearly upset at the idea of her parents possibly separating for good. “I wish there was something I could do to make them see what’s right in front of them,”

“Don’t put that pressure on yourself, Charlie. It’s not your problem to fix,” Carol told her. “Just be the great kid that you are and who knows… maybe they  _ will _ see what’s right in front of them eventually,” she shrugged.

“You really think so?”

“I’ve known your parents for over a decade, dear. They will find their way back to each other… you’ll see,”

“Thanks for the talk, Carol,” Charlotte smiled.

“Thanks for the sandwich, Charlie,” she threw her a wink.

“Come on, Daisy, let’s go,” she snapped her fingers to call her bulldog before rushing towards the stairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A chapter a bit towards the angst side but I hope you liked it!! Let me know your thoughts of it!!
> 
> Next week... Fallon and Liam renew their vows!


	44. A New Shot At Forever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it took me so long to write this specific chapter. Life's been crazy and the lack of content is definitely messing with my head so this wedding and vows were quite hard to write down.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy it!

“Oh yes!” Charlotte exclaimed, throwing one leg above the other as she placed her arms under her head. “This is what I call living the dream!” She added, staring up at the bright blue sky above her through the black sunglasses that covered half of her face.

“Since when do you enjoy tanning, Miss Ridley?” Liam asked from the plunge pool, glancing from his eldest daughter to his youngest as she swam around the small pool, kicking her legs with determination while moving as best as she could with the Minnie Mouse floats around her arms.

“I’m too white, daddy!” She spoke dramatically before adjusting the large black hat on the top of her head. “I have an extremely important position as the maid of honor at the wedding tomorrow and I can’t look like a ghost!”

“Charlie, you have approximately eight layers of sunscreen on your body right now,” he couldn’t help but laugh, taking a couple of steps to his right when he noticed the two year old getting too close to the infinite border of the pool. “To be fair, you’re even whiter than usual right now with the inexplicable amount of sunscreen you applied on your body,” he pointed towards her legs, both completely covered in as much sunscreen as she could spread over the area.

“Safety first, daddy,”

“I don’t think you’re going to get a tan with that much sunscreen on your skin, princess,” Liam told her. “At least not by tomorrow,” he chuckled. “Where’s your mom, by the way?”

“Right here,” Fallon spoke while walking through the glass doors that led to the porch with a cocktail glass in each hand. “You enjoying the pool, pumpkin?” She asked her baby daughter before handing her husband one of the glasses.

“So much blue, mommy!” Olivia exclaimed, pointing her tiny index finger towards the marvelous panoramic view of the sea.

“That’s a lot of water, isn’t it?” She asked playfully.

“It is, mommy! We swim!” She bounced in excitement, hitting the water with her open palms.

“You and daddy seem to be having a lot of fun in the pool, pumpkin,” Fallon told the two year old. “Aren’t you tired?” She ran her hand softly through her daughter’s blonde hair when she reached the opposite border.

“No,” Olivia shook her head. “No _tiwed_ , mommy,”

“It’s almost time for your nap, Miss Ridley,” she reminded her.

“No nap,” she shook her head again. “We swim, mommy,” she insisted.

“Mom, can I have a sip of your drink?” Charlotte asked, looking up at her mother from her pool chair and extending her arm towards her.

“No,” Fallon said firmly. “There’s alcohol in it,” she told her. “There’s pineapple juice in the kitchen, if you want,”

“I do,” the eight year old nodded. “Thanks,”

“You’re not going to get it?” Liam questioned.

“Mom has _just_ offered me juice,” Charlotte shrugged. “I’m waiting,”

“Your mom simply _stated_ that there is pineapple juice in the kitchen, Charlotte,” he countered. “You turn around, put your feet on the floor and walk there… you’ll find a jar of juice in the fridge and glasses next to the sink,”

“Well, I might as well get myself some cookies too,” she murmured while getting up from the pool chair. “Would you three like anything?”

“Thanks, princess,” Fallon offered her a smile.

“Cookie!” Olivia exclaimed.

“You still haven’t finished your fruit salad, Miss,” Liam mentioned, reaching for the small green bowl he had placed on the edge of the pool as she swam around. “Which means, no cookie,” he said firmly.

“No want _fwuit,_ ” she pouted.

“Mommy promised daddy to join you two in the pool, baby girl,” the brunette began. “What do you say we finish that fruit salad together so you can keep swimming? You need those vitamins if you’re going to keep swimming,” she proposed.

“Mommy in pool?” Olivia’s eyes widened in surprise, the lightest blue pair of the family staring up at her mother in enthusiasm as she walked up the couple of white steps that led to the pool.

“I’m lucky your dad asks for simple and cheap things as a wedding gift,” Fallon teased, throwing her husband a playful wink before sitting down on the edge with her legs inside the warm water. “Although this swimsuit he chose wasn’t exactly cheap,” she glanced down at the piece - a simple yet elegant black swimsuit with a plunging neckline that ended only a couple of inches above her belly button, providing her breasts with a sensual push up effect as half of them was totally exposed.

“Mommy _pwetty,_ ” the two year old commented.

“Thank you, pumpkin,” she offered her daughter a smile before jumping into the water. “Now what do you say we finish this fruit salad?” She asked, reaching for the bowl.

“You eat,” she pouted.

“Liv, you need to eat,” Fallon insisted, holding the spoon out for Olivia.

“No _hungwy_ , mommy,” she shook her head.

“Then I guess it’s time to get off the pool and on to bed,” Liam spoke up, his tone firm as he gently grabbed her by the arms. “It’s almost naptime anyway and since you’re not hungry then I guess all it’s left for you to do is take your two hour nap,” he told her while settling her on the right side of his body, an indication that he was ready to get her out of the pool.

“No, daddy, please,” Olivia begged, throwing her famous puppy eyes at him. “Pool with you,” she complained.

“Olivia, we’re not kidding,” he turned towards her. “You’ve eaten only half of your salad and a girl your size needs a lot more than that. Your mom even got inside the pool to feed you and you’re going to act like this?” He questioned.

“But I’m not _hungwy,_ ” she murmured.

“Then eat without being hungry,” Liam countered. “All you have to do is eat a couple of blueberries and some pieces of orange,” he told her. “We have a diet to follow, pumpkin. I know you don’t understand what that is but that means you have to eat this entire portion of food for you to stay healthy and grow up to be like your sister,”

“Why didn’t you tell me that we had marshmallows and chocolate syrup?” Charlotte asked, returning from the kitchen while carrying a large bag of cookies, a bag of marshmallows, a bottle of chocolate syrup and a small bag of M&M’s.

“I thought you went to the kitchen to get some juice?” Fallon frowned.

“Oh, I drank two glasses,” she told her mother. “It tasted really good, by the way. It paired nicely with the ham and cheese sandwich I made myself,”

“And where is that sandwich, may I ask?” Liam threw her a puzzled look.

“I ate it?” Charlotte replied, a bit confused by his question. “With the juice?”

“You were gone for five minutes!” He exclaimed.

“Well, I was hungry,” she shrugged before heading towards her pool chair. “Now if you excuse me, I have cookies and marshmallows to eat,”

“Charlotte, go easy on those sweets!” Fallon turned towards her eldest daughter.

“I will. By the way, what are you doing in the pool, mom?” The eight year old asked.

“Your dad asked me to join him,”

“Dad always asks you to join him,” Charlotte mentioned. “You _never_ do,”

“I usually don’t, you’re right, but daddy asked really nicely and I figured it would make a great wedding gift,”

“You asked for mommy in the pool as a wedding gift?!” Her eyes widened in shock. “What kind of present is that, daddy?”

“I appreciate the simple things, princess,”

“You could have asked for a real present and then you could have just thrown mom into the pool,” Charlotte shrugged.

“Hey! Why are you against me here, Miss Ridley?” Fallon exclaimed. “I thought we were a team?”

“We are a team, mom, but daddy was quite silly,” she explained.

“Sometimes I don’t know which one of the three of you is the hardest one to handle,” Liam sighed, shaking his head as he watched Fallon feed Olivia a blueberry.

“We all know it’s mom, dad,” Charlotte spoke up. “Ollie and I have the power of melting your heart because we’re half you,” she threw him a wink.

“You, Miss Charlotte Ridley, are almost switching places with your mom with all of that sassiness,” he told her.

“What can I say,” she replied. “I am and I will always be the mini Fallon,” she spoke before throwing an entire marshmallow in her mouth.

“Remember when we talked about boarding school?” Liam turned towards his wife.

“We’re not sending Charlotte to boarding school, Liam,” Fallon rolled her eyes. “Besides, it’s not like you can go a day without that girl,”

* * *

“Before we begin,” Liam spoke, holding one of Fallon’s hands in his as they both turned in the direction of their girls.

Charlotte and Olivia were only a couple of feet away from them, standing towards the center of the yacht while the soon-to-be-remarried couple stood on a higher platform near the bars on the edge of the boat.

As Fallon’s maid of honor, Charlotte wore a [golden dress](https://pin.it/4JXiHim) with a lightweight skirt and a sequined top. Her long brown waves were curled, falling down her shoulders as a few strands were pulled back by a beautiful golden accessory.

As their flower girl, Olivia wore an elegant [white dress](https://pin.it/6DeDHmO) and her hair was up in two ponytails, the blonde strands pointing up in the most adorable of looks while held by two golden satin flowers that matched her sister’s dress perfectly.

“Since we decided to start fresh entirely, we’re going to change rings as you two already know,” he continued, letting go of his wife’s hand to remove the wedding band from his finger. “Mommy and I talked about what we were going to do with our old ones and we don’t really want to throw it away so we thought about giving them to you,” he explained.

“Are you sure, dad?” Charlotte questioned.

“We’re sure, princess,” Fallon offered her eldest a smile. “You can choose who gets mine and who gets daddy,”

“I want yours,” she spoke right away.

“Daddy!” Olivia exclaimed at the exact same time and the couple couldn’t help but chuckle at the not so surprising agreement.

“Do you think you two can hold it now?” Liam asked as they offered them their rings.

“It’s _pwetty_!” The two year old murmured, staring deeply at the platinum band between her fingers.

“I love it!” Charlotte shouted in excitement.

“Oh no!” Olivia screamed when the small item slipped through her fingers, bouncing on the white surface of the yacht before falling and disappearing into the bright blue sea. “My _wing_!” She screamed, her tone indicating she was on the verge of tears when she threw herself in the direction of where she had just seen the ring fall.

“Olivia!” Fallon screamed even louder, throwing her arms around her baby girl as best as she could to avoid a possible disaster. “What did I say about getting close to the edge?” She asked, taking a deep breath as she finally relaxed. “You can’t do that, pumpkin,” she spoke, resting her head against her daughter’s while tightening her grip on the two year old’s small body. “You could have fallen off the boat, Liv,”

“My _wing,_ mommy!” She pointed towards the sea. “I _dwopped_ my _wing_!”

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” she reassured her daughter, running her fingers soothingly up and down her back as youngest Ridley burst into tears. “It happens, pumpkin, there’s no reason to cry, it’s okay,”

“I lost daddy’s _wing,_ ” Olivia mumbled between hiccups. “ _Wing_ in the sea now,”

“I believe you have no more reason to worry about Liv not having any of your DNA,” Liam couldn’t help but chuckle as he approached two of the most important girls in his world. “Seems like she has inherited your ability of dropping my rings in the water,”

“I don’t think we can get this one back though,” Fallon shrugged, offering him an apologetically smile as she attempted to comfort the two year old. “We will get you another one, pumpkin, I promise,”

“I want daddy’s!” She screamed, rubbing a closed fist over her red and puffy eyes before burying her face in the crook of her mother’s neck. “Daddy’s _wing_!”

“You can have mine, Ollie,” Charlotte spoke up while taking a few steps towards them. “I already have the peach diamond replica daddy gave me when I was your age,” she told her sister. “You can have mommy’s wedding band, but don’t cry…” She added softly. “Today is supposed to be a happy day, Ollie,”

“Come here, pumpkin,” Liam extended his arms towards them. “It’s okay, Liv, it’s okay,” he mentioned as soon as Fallon placed their daughter against his chest.

“I’m _sowy,_ daddy,” Olivia murmured. “I’m _sowy_ ,”

“You didn’t do it on purpose, baby girl,” he reassured her. “It’s okay… I’m not mad or anything, Liv,”

“ _Youy wing impoytant,_ daddy,” she whispered.

“We took our rings off for a reason, Liv. Mommy and I want to start a new chapter and we don’t need those rings anymore,” Liam began. “However, we wore them for over a decade and they’ve been the symbol of our love ever since mommy and I vowed to be together forever, which is why we wanted to give them to the two of you… but don’t worry about it, okay?” He said before placing a kiss on her forehead. “Charlie offered you hers so why don’t you accept your mother’s ring and say thank you to your sister for being so kind?”

“Thanks, _Chalie,_ ” Olivia looked at her sister, her bright blue eyes staring down at the eight year old as she kept her head on her father’s shoulder.

“You’re welcome, Ollie,” Charlotte offered her a smile.

“Maybe I should hold this one for now,” he mentioned while reaching for the ring his eldest was holding. “You want to stay in daddy’s arms or can I put you down?”

“Daddy,” she murmured.

“Okay,” Liam nodded, settling her on the right side of his body as he adjusted his arms to hold her properly and in a more comfortable position for both of them. “Charlie, princess, why don’t you join your mom since Olivia is here?” He suggested.

“You okay, Ollie?” The eight year old asked her young sister as she stood in front of Fallon, her golden dress contrasting against the shiny white fabric of Fallon’s dress while the older brunette placed one hand on each of her daughter’s shoulders.

“Yeah,” Olivia replied shortly, throwing her arms around her father’s neck before leaning her head against his cheek.

“You want to go first?” Liam asked Fallon.

“Please,” she couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re most certainly going to turn me into a puddle or a huge mess with your writer skills and I won’t be able to say anything good if you go first,” she rolled her eyes.

“Go ahead then,” he chuckled, turning slightly to his side to give their youngest another comforting kiss before returning his attention to his wife.

“Liam, if there’s one thing that I can say about our marriage is that it has not been without challenges but looking back to the past eleven years, I feel blessed to have a husband who held my hand and always had my back,” Fallon began. “True love like ours is rare and difficult to find, but I know that I have found it in you. In the time that we have been married, my life has changed because of you.”

“There have been times, during these past few months, when I believed the problems before us were too big for us to overcome and too painful for us to forgive. Until I realized that I love you more than anything in this world and I’m pretty sure that’s enough to overcome and forgive the promises we made each other and somehow broke along the way in these past eleven years. I realized I’m not someone to give up and leave, at least not when it comes to us,” pausing, she took a deep breath before continuing. 

“Today, I give in to that love and the overwhelming desire to recommit myself to you. I love you more today because of all that we have been through and because of your willingness to move forward with renewed commitment. You’ve shaped me into a better woman and you’ve given me the most wonderful two little girls I could ever wish for. There’s nothing in this world that means more to me than being able to share all of this with you,” she gestured between the four of them. “There’s nothing in this life that I want more than to be by your side, raising our girls and growing old together. I know it’s not going to be easy. In fact, it’s going to be really hard sometimes, like these past months have been, but we’re going to have to work at this every day. I’m going to have to work at this every day because I want you. I want all of you, forever, every day, babe,”

“I promise, from this day forward, to love and trust you even more as time passes. I promise to be there for you when you are sick, hurt, in need of comfort or when you just want to share your day,” she offered him a smile while giving Charlotte’s shoulders a gentle squeeze. “I promise to love you in good times and in bad, when life seems easy but also when it feels extremely hard. I promise to make you feel needed and appreciated for all that you bring to my life. Today I stand in front of our daughters and you, my husband and promise to give you all of the best of me for as long as we both live, hoping that I will be able to be everything you need. You are my love, my hero and most of all, you’re my best friend, Liam, and I love you more than I can even put into words.”

“Fallon, you have a passion for life that inspires me to be the best person and the best husband I can ever be. Because of that, I find myself continuing to fall in love with you more deeply each day. You are my best friend, my confidant, and my one true love,” Liam spoke as tears pooled in his eyes, only minutes from matching the ones already rolling down Fallon’s cheeks. “Today, I want to thank you for loving me unconditionally because I know that, in spite of everything, that’s exactly how you’ve loved me all these years,”

“I'll keep loving and supporting you and I promise to stand by your side no matter what… no matter what challenges we face together and no matter what life throws at us. This mess started because life threw us the biggest challenge of all,” he glanced at the baby girl in his arms. “We got the second baby we wanted so badly but along with that, we got the scariest challenge of all with everything that has happened to this little one over the past year. But I know that I still look forward to spending the rest of my life with you, and vow to continue loving you now, always, and forever even when life throws us this kind of challenge,”

“Eleven years ago, I pledged my love and commitment to you, but it seems like only yesterday. I promised to love you, honor you, comfort and keep you. I pledged to be by your side in sickness and in health, in times of want, and times of plenty, for better or worse, for the rest of our lives,” he continued. “We have had all of those things, and you have been by my side as we created a family, a home, and a life together. The past year has tested those vows, but our enduring love for one another has prevailed. We are here today to make a fresh start, to renew our vows of love, honor, and fidelity, and mostly, I’m here to reaffirm my love for you,” he offered her a smile.

“As we stand here today, I think back to all the wonderful memories we have shared. There is no greater feeling in life than to have your best friend by your side every day. Though we have had our struggles, our love has been strong enough to conquer it all as I hope it continues to conquer,” he promised.

“You have changed since then. I have changed, and the world around us has changed most of all. But one thing has not changed. Eleven years ago, I promised to love you, to give of my best to you, to cherish and keep you no matter what else happened,” he told her, finally allowing the tears to fall, streaming down his rosed cheeks as he approached the end of his speech. “I have not always lived up to my best intentions and I know I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way, but I have always loved you and I _still_ love you, Fallon, more than you even think it’s possible. I continue to want you, for better or worse, for richer or poorer because having you,” he paused, staring between his wife and daughters. “Having this family we built, is everything I need. I don’t want to ever have to leave you like I did at the beginning of the year because this is what I want. A family, with you. Whatever the future may hold for us, we will always have our love and I can now say, for sure, that for me, that’s enough,” he spoke, the smile plastered on his lips brighter than the hot summer sun shining above them.

“Mom, do you take dad to be your husband again?” Charlotte lifted her chin to look up at her mother. “Forever this time?”

“I do,” Fallon nodded, throwing him a wink as a grin appeared on the corner of her lips.

“Dad, do you take mom to be your wife again?” She asked him. “Forever this time?”

“I do,” Liam replied.

“Then you may kiss the bride!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Hey! I’m still here!” She squeezed Liam’s legs when he took a step forward and crashed his lips against Fallon’s, crushing their eight year old between their bodies. “Hello, Mr. Ridley,” she knocked on his belly, not even able to move her head, trapped between their torsos.

“Sorry, Charlie,” they laughed while breaking their kiss.

“I hope you know that I’m saying I do to all three of you today,” Liam commented. “Because you’re a package, all three of you. It’s not just mom that I’m committing to today. My promise is to mom, Charlie and Olivia,” he glanced between the children.

“Kiss, daddy,” Olivia requested, leaning closer to him so she could do exactly as her mother had done only a minute back.

“I love you, pumpkin,” he chuckled before giving the two year old a quick peck on the lips.

“Me too!” Charlotte begged.

“Damn, you’re getting too heavy, Charlie,” Fallon complained once she wrapped her arms around the eight year old to raise her to meet her father’s height.

“That’s because I’m almost nine, mom,” the young brunette rolled her eyes at her mother.

“Come on, princess, give your dad a kiss because mommy is not strong enough like him to hold you,”

“I love you, daddy,” Charlotte offered him a smile.

“I love you too, princess,” he replied, leaning in for a quick peck on his eldest’s lips.

“You should probably trade rings now,” she informed them. “Oh, I’m so excited to see the look in mom’s eyes when she sees the ring you got her!”

“This time,” Liam began, tightening the grip of one of his arms around Olivia so he could retrieve the new wedding bands from the pocket of his black pants. “It’s not just you and me, Fal. It’s the four of us,” he mentioned, handing her the ring that was meant to be his. “And like Charlie said… this time, it’s forever,”

“Look inside the ring, mom,” the eight year old instructed, giggling at her mother’s reaction once the older brunette laid her eyes on the single row of micropavé diamonds set on the delicate platinum band between his fingers. “I mean, look inside daddy’s since he hasn’t given you yours yet,” she shrugged.

_FALLON • CHARLOTTE • OLIVIA_

“I really mean it when I say you three are a package,” he repeated, holding his hand out for her.

“The diamonds are from our family’s special collection, mom!” She spoke in excitement. “Daddy even made me and Ollie matching earrings, see?” She added, pushing her hair to the side so she could show her mother her ear.

“Oh, so that’s why you two are wearing earrings I’ve never seen before,” Fallon giggled. “Very clever of you, Mr. Ridley,”

“There’s a pair for you too,” Charlotte informed her. “But I think it’s back at the hotel,”

“It is,” Liam nodded.

“How is it even possible that you got those diamonds when Charlie was born and you’re still surprising me with new jewelry almost nine years later?” Her eyes widened, gesturing towards the elegant, sparkly band between his fingers.

“Come on, mom,” their eldest rolled her eyes. “It’s you we’re talking about!” She threw her hands up in the air dramatically. “You think dad was going to get you two or three diamonds?” She questioned. “This is supposed to be a Ridley heirloom! Which means daddy has a lifetime's worth supply of diamonds,” she threw her mother a suspicious grin.

“Does that mean you’ve _seen_ those diamonds?” Fallon asked, even more surprised.

“Unfortunately, my beautiful blue eyes don’t work when it comes to those diamonds,” Charlotte replied, shaking her head and shrugging in total disappointment.

“They’re hidden and safe and that’s all you three need to know,” Liam countered. “If you knew about them, you wouldn’t be surprised with the jewelry,”

“Yeah, I guess that’s a fair argument,” the eight year old admitted.

“Wait until you see the one you’re getting for your tenth birthday, Miss Ridley,” he threw her a wink, laughing when she gasped, her jaw dropping to the floor as her eyes seemed ready to jump out of their sockets.

“My _tenth_ birthday?!” Charlotte exclaimed. “That’s forever away!” She complained. “Besides, I thought I was getting an iPhone for my tenth birthday,” she frowned.

“You’re going to choose a phone over a diamond?”

“How am I even supposed to _choose_?” She groaned. “That’s _so_ not fair,”

“We can discuss that later, princess,” Liam chuckled. “Do you mind if I marry your mom now?” He requested.

“Of course not,” she laughed. “Marry away, daddy,”

“Liam,” Fallon began, reaching for his hand. “You’re the best husband I could ever wish for,” offering him a smile, she slid the wedding band carefully on his finger. “You’re _everything_ I could ever wish for,”

“You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me, Fallon,” Liam spoke, reaching for her hand before delicately sliding the diamond ring on her finger. “I love you more than anything in this world,” he smiled, leaning in to capture her lips once more as he intertwined their hands.

“You love me _mowe_ , daddy, _wight_?” Olivia asked, placing one hand on his face to turn her father towards herself.

“Aww, pumpkin, of course I do,” he chuckled softly. “You’re my best buddy and my partner in crime, remember?”

“ _Mowe_ than mommy?”

“ _Way_ more than mommy, pumpkin,” Liam couldn’t help but laugh at his daughter’s words.

“Okay,” Olivia nodded, satisfied enough with the answer. “I like that!”

“You know what?” Charlotte exclaimed. “You two should jump!”

“Jump where?” Fallon frowned.

“Into the sea, silly!” She threw her arms up in the air. “Come on! You two just got married! You have to jump together for it to really work!”

“I don’t think that’s how marriage works, princess,” the brunette countered. “Besides, I didn’t spend an hour getting ready to jump into the water,” she rolled her eyes.

“But you have to consummate your marriage, mom!” Charlotte continued. “I read it online! That’s a thing!”

“That’s not exactly how it works, Charlie,” Liam chuckled, shaking his head.

“Then _how_ does it work, Mr. Ridley?” She questioned, settling one hand on her hips while staring up at him. “You’ve already given up on that nuptial night thing by bringing me and Ollie to Greece with you… because Uncle Sam told me that you and mommy are supposed to be alone on the night after the wedding but Ollie and I are sleeping on the bed right next to you!” She shrugged.

“Should I be worried about what your uncle has been telling you?” He asked.

“No, you should be worried about you two not consummating your marriage properly so I suggest you two jump to celebrate!” Charlotte explained. “Before we have to go through that divorce nightmare again,”

“What do you say, Fal?” Liam ran his thumb gently against the back of her hand, drawing small circles on her skin at the gesture. “It’s up to you,”

“The boat driver said the sea is calm here so we’re allowed to swim,” the eight year old reminded them.

“Okay, I guess we can jump,” Fallon nodded.

“Yes!” Charlotte shouted. “Daddy, you can put Ollie down. I will watch her,”

As soon as Liam set Olivia back on her feet, Charlotte quickly took her sister’s tiny hand in hers while the couple kicked off their shoes. Reaching for a small bag inside the beach bag they had taken to the boat with them, he removed his watch while Fallon took off the few jewelry she had chosen for the ceremony.

“How are we supposed to do this, Miss Ridley?” She asked her eldest daughter.

“Hold hands and jump together!” Charlotte instructed.

“Oh god,” Fallon sighed, taking a deep breath before approaching the edge of the yacht with her husband.

“On three?” Liam suggested.

“Okay,” she nodded.

“One. Two. Three,” he counted before jumping off the yacht, tightening his grip on his wife’s hand as they both dove into the bright blue water.

“Holy shit this is cold!” Fallon screamed, wrapping her arms around his neck to stay closer to him as soon as they emerged back to the surface.

“Now kiss!” They both looked up at the sound of Charlotte’s voice, only to realize she was holding Fallon’s phone in front of her, probably snapping pictures of them. “Come on, I’m not usually this nice when it comes to kisses but I will let that slide today,”

Running a hand gently through her wet hair with a grin on his lips, Liam leaned forward and quickly closed the remaining distance between them. Throwing his arms around her back, he pulled her to him as their lips set up a rhythm, moving tenderly against one another as their tongues tangled around one another. 

“Aww, you look so cute!” The eight year old exclaimed. “A perfect photo for us to frame and put on top of the piano!”

“Why don’t you two join us?” Liam suggested after breaking the kiss.

“Me?!” Charlotte’s eyes widened. “In that deep and scary sea? Oh, that’s _not_ happening,” she shook her head in total denial.

“You made _me_ jump!” Fallon complained. “Now you have to jump too,”

“I’m not the one who just got married,” she shrugged.

“You’re the maid of honor, which means you have to join the bride in the sea,”

“I don’t accept that rule,” Charlotte murmured.

“Today’s a special day, baby. Can you jump for us?” Liam asked her. “We won’t be long, I promise,”

“But my hair…” She whispered. “And my dress and make up!”

“Look at your mom, Charlie,” he chuckled. “She may have brought a waterproof eyeliner but her mascara is long gone by now,” he told her. “If your mom can look like a panda, you can handle some water,”

“Hey!” Fallon shouted, splashing water all over him. “That was rude!”

“Well, mom, you _do_ look like a panda,” Charlotte admitted. “And I’m pretty sure your dress is totally transparent by now because I can see your nipples from here,”

“And whose fault is that?” The brunette questioned.

“ _Chalie_ swim!” Olivia spoke up.

“Alright, alright, I will jump,” the eight year old finally gave in.

“Let Olivia come first,” Liam instructed. “Pumpkin, can you jump for daddy?” He asked after swimming closer to the yacht.

“I can’t swim,” she muttered in a low voice. “Floatie, daddy, no swim,”

“Daddy will catch you, pumpkin,” he promised while opening his arms wide for her. “All you have to do is jump straight into daddy’s arms, okay?”

“Liam… this is not a pool,” Fallon said worriedly. “Olivia is too young,”

“She can do it, Fal,” Liam reassured her. “Come on, baby girl, jump!” At her father’s instructions, Olivia stepped closer to the edge and jumped off the boat, doing exactly what her parents had just done. The two year old loved water so much that not even jumping off a big yacht could make her feel the least bit scared. “Ouch!” He screamed when she landed right at his chest, wrapping his arms around her small body before letting half of it sink into the water.

“I did it!” Olivia exclaimed.

“You did it, pumpkin!”

“Any chance I can stay up here?” Charlotte asked them. “Perfectly clean and dry on the yacht?”

“Stop complaining and jump, Charlotte,” Fallon murmured.

“I didn’t sign up for this when I agreed to be your maid of honor, Mrs. Ridley,” she rolled her eyes, taking a step forward to approach the edge of the boat.

“And I didn’t sign up for all of that complaining when I agreed to be your mother, Miss Ridley,” she countered, playing along in her daughter’s own game.

“Charlotte, are you going to jump or not?” Liam questioned. “Do I need to remind you that this was your idea in the first place?”

“I better not feel any fish swimming near me,” the eight year old murmured, closing her eyes while holding onto the protection bar with both hands. “Oh god,” she groaned. “Here I go,” she spoke before jumping into the water. “Holy guacamole, this water is insanely cold, people!”

“ _Chalie_ complains way too much,” Olivia teased her sister and the two adults burst out laughing when their eldest threw their youngest a glare.

“She does, doesn’t she?” Liam adjusted the two year old gently against the side of his body.

“See? Now we’re _both_ wet and a mess,” Fallon chuckled as Charlotte swam towards her. “Come here, princess,”

Opening her arms, she welcomed the young brunette and wrapped them tightly around her frame as they both moved their legs back and forth deep into the water in order not to sink. When Charlotte offered her mother a smile, laughing at her smudged make up, Fallon could only shake her head before placing a kiss on the top of her daughter’s head.

“Mommy loves you very much, princess,”

“I love you too, mommy,”

* * *

“Do you regret bringing them?” Liam asked, playing softly with his wife’s long brown strands while glancing down at the two girls in between them on the bed. “Since we can’t really... you know,”

They were both sound asleep and while Charlotte was resting against Liam’s chest, gripping onto his pajama shirt with a closed fist, Olivia was snuggling her mother, her head buried between her mother’s breasts as she laid practically on top of Fallon.

“No,” she shook her head. “Not at all,”

“It felt different having them at the wedding though,” he commented. “I mean, this is actually our fourth wedding and I can say that having them there, pretty much in our arms, made it feel even more real, you know?” He rambled. “I don’t even think I can explain exactly how it felt, to be honest,”

“It certainly did feel more real, babe,” Fallon nodded with a smile. “It actually meant so much more… they’re a part of us… literally. They’re proof that our love is able to handle whatever life throws at us,” she explained. “From the scare and panic of finding out we were going to be parents for the first time, to me getting into a car accident with Charlie back when she was only four to Olivia having some kind of eating disorder… our lives were pretty much shaped by them and I don’t regret a single thing. Specially not bringing them with us because we couldn’t just renew our vows without them,”

“No, we couldn’t,” Liam admitted. “Although now I’m starting to regret not bringing someone with us to babysit them tonight,” he chuckled, a devious grin forming on the corner of his lips as his eyes traveled not so innocently down to the neckline of her nightgown.

“You’re the one who said yes when they asked for cuddles,” she shrugged.

“We _did_ cuddle,” he replied. “In fact, we cuddled for almost two hours during a Disney movie that we’ve already watched a thousand times,”

“At least they reached an agreement quite fast tonight,” Fallon mentioned. “Choosing The Lion King right away is definitely a lot better than that endless battle between Olaf and those monsters,” she laughed.

“They really are the best thing that has ever happened to us, aren’t they?” Liam asked softly, running his fingers delicately down Charlotte’s face before doing the same thing on Olivia’s arm, the one that was falling off her mother’s body and onto her sister’s back.

“Well, you were the first best thing to ever happen to me,” she smiled. “But yeah, they’re definitely the best thing that has ever happened to _us_ ,” she nodded. “I simply can’t imagine life without them,”

“As much as I love cuddling with them,” he began, raising his arm to trace the exposed skin of her shoulder with his thumb. “They’re sound asleep on our bed and you know,” he murmured. “I kind of want this night to end even better…”

“What are you implying, Mr. Ridley?” Fallon questioned, throwing him a playful wink.

“Remember how Charlie told us how important it is for a couple to consummate their marriage?”

“I don’t think I’m forgetting that anytime soon,” she chuckled. “But well… consummating the marriage _is_ supposed to bring the couple good luck,”

“So, what do you say?” Liam smirked suggestively.

“Shower?” Fallon proposed, gesturing towards the bathroom of their luxury suite.

“Should I get the whipped cream we have in the mini fridge?” He questioned while carefully placing the eight year old’s body properly on the mattress so he could get up.

“Oh, naughty Liam, I love it,” she offered him a grin as she slipped out of bed as slow as possible as to not wake up the sleeping toddler she had just laid down on the mattress. “Get the strawberries too,” she threw him a wink as he walked towards the mini fridge below the large television before stepping into the bathroom and from the corner of his eyes, he managed to catch the exact moment her silk nightgown fell on the marble floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you all enjoyed it!! Let me know your thoughts!!


	45. Dubai

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE ONE AND ONLY... MISS CHARLOTTE RIDLEY!!
> 
> This is the first chapter of the Charlotte Challenge, which means that from today until next Saturday, I will post a chapter a day!
> 
> Since all of the chapters are based on @marlowe.and.me instagram posts, I will link them throughout the chapter so make sure you check those links as you read!
> 
> Hope you enjoy this ride with me and have lots and lots of fun with Charlie and the Ridley's!

“It my _bithday_!” Charlotte exclaimed as they stepped out of the elevator.

“It is, sweetheart!” Alexis replied, just as excitedly while holding onto the two year old’s hand.

“ _Whewe_ mommy and daddy?” She asked, looking up at her grandmother.

“They’re already at the pool, Charlie. They wanted to secure a nice place for us to have lunch while I finished getting you dressed, baby girl,” the blonde explained.

“Oh okay,” Charlotte shrugged. “Pool! _Hewe_ we go!” She jumped up and down in excitement in her brand new white and red stripped [summer suit](https://www.instagram.com/p/B6i-hpmlBLn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link).

Its cropped top had three pairs of Christmas candy canes embroidered on its front, its stripes matching perfectly the ruffled skirt she wore above her pool diaper. To make her outfit even more special, because after all, she was the birthday girl, Alexis had given her a headband with a huge white bow on the top of her head and dark tortoise sunglasses.

“You have to eat before you go in the pool, Charlie,” Alexis reminded her as she led her granddaughter down the path towards the pool.

“Cake!” The baby brunette threw her arms up in the air.

“Well, maybe some proper food first?” She suggested.

“ _Bithday_ cake, nana!” Charlotte insisted.

“I believe your mom mentioned something about shrimp and lobsters this morning,” Alexis began, chuckling when the two year old stopped walking to look at her in complete shock.

“You say _shwimp_?” She questioned.

“Oh yeah, a _whole_ plate filled with shrimp!” She told her.

“Want, nana! Want _shwimp_!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“Let’s go find your mom and dad then, princess,” Alexis mentioned while taking the toddler’s hand back in hers, locking their fingers together so they could walk through the security gate by the pool’s entrance.

“Mama! Mama _thewe_!” She screamed as soon as she spotted her mother sitting at a table in a secluded but well located corner.

“Hold on, Charlie. I don’t want you wandering by the pool by yourself,” the older woman spoke in a serious tone. “We have to walk slowly so we don’t trip and fall into the water, alright?”

“Too excited, nana!” Charlotte insisted.

“Well, it’s not every toddler that celebrates her second birthday at a five star resort in Dubai so I guess it’s okay to feel that excited,” Alexis couldn’t help but laugh.

“ _Bithday_ in Dubai! My _bithday_!” She sang. “Lots of cake, lots of _shwimp_!” She continued as they walked around the large pool, heading in the direction of Fallon and Liam.

“Look who is coming, Fal!” The oldest Ridley screamed when he noticed them approaching, pushing his chair backwards and opening his arms wide open for his daughter to run into them. “Isn’t that the prettiest birthday girl you’ve ever seen?!” He glanced at her before taking the toddler in his arms as she collided against his chest.

“I believe it is!” Fallon exclaimed. “Who dressed you up in such a pretty outfit, baby?” She asked.

“Nana did!” Charlotte replied, pointing at Alexis with her tiny index finger. “Sunglasses, mom!” She added while placing her other hand on the accessory she had gotten from her grandmother as a birthday present only a couple of minutes back.

“I see, princess,” she offered her a smile. “They are very pretty! I love them!”

“Did you thank your grandma properly for this gift?” Liam asked his daughter.

“I did, daddy!” The two year old told him. “Kiss and hug, daddy!”

“She did indeed,” Alexis spoke up. “She was a sweetheart, as always, you two! Nothing to worry about,” she reassured them. “Did you two do what you needed to do?” She whispered while taking a seat between them at the round table.

“Mom!” Fallon’s eyes widened.

“What?” She countered. “In my defense, you asked me to keep an eye on her so you two could go on a couple’s thing,” she shrugged.

“It was a couple’s massage at the spa!” The brunette exclaimed. “But when you say that in that tone, it makes me wonder if you think we ditched our birthday girl for sex!” She whispered the last few words while Liam entertained their baby daughter with a piece of bread.

“Well, a couple’s massage in this heaven they call a resort _could_ have a double meaning,” Alexis chuckled. “Who knows,” she spoke nonchalantly.

“ _Whewe_ is the _shwimp_?” [Charlotte frowned](https://www.instagram.com/p/B6iG50vFmPd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) when she noticed there were nothing but a bucket of ice, a few champagne flutes and a basket of bread on the marble table in front of them.

“The shrimp is coming, princess,” Fallon told her. “Mommy ordered a large portion for you with a piece of salmon and a few vegetables, okay?”

“No vegetables,” she shook her head.

“Why not? You love broccoli, cauliflower and potatoes, don’t you?” She questioned.

“On my _bithday_ , I have _shwimp_ and cake, mama!” Charlotte informed her. “No vegetables,” she pouted.

“In order to get the birthday cake and the presents mommy and daddy brought you, someone’s going to have to eat those vegetables,” Liam told her.

“ _Mowe_ _pwesents_?” Her eyes sparkled in excitement and the three adults could only laugh at her reaction.

“It’s your birthday, isn’t it?” Fallon asked.

“Yes it is!” She exclaimed, standing up on her father’s legs. “ _Chalie’s_ _bithday_ , mama!”

“That’s right, princess,” Liam giggled.

“I go with mama, daddy?” Charlotte requested, squirming between his arms as she tried to get off his chair.

“Of course,”

Helping her settle on her feet, he watched as she took a couple of steps towards Fallon, climbing immediately on her mother’s legs once she reached her seat. Standing up himself, he grabbed the bottle of the finest champagne they had to offer at the bar and filled the three flutes before proposing a toast.

“Wait! What about me?” The two year old complained when they all raised their glasses, completely oblivious to the fact that she didn’t have one herself.

“Here, sweetie,” Alexis offered her the plastic cup she had placed in the outside pocket of the baby bag before they left the room.

“What’s this?”

“Grape juice,” she replied.

“Okay,” Charlotte nodded. “Toast!” She screamed, raising her sippy cup in the direction of their glasses.

“To our precious and most extraordinary baby girl,” Liam began. “Thank you for bringing so much joy into all our lives and for being the most adorable little angel someone could ever ask for,” he glanced down at her. “As painful as it is to see that you’re growing up so fast because well, one minute ago you were crying into this world for the first time and now you’re this big and turning _two_? How is that even possible?” He asked in a tone of surprise and the baby girl could only giggle. “I love how smart and kind you are, I love how you look more and more like your mother every day and most of all, I love this life you’re giving me, baby girl. Being your daddy is by far one of the best things that has ever happened to me and I’m excited to see what this new year will bring you!”

“Thank you, daddy,” she offered him a smile as they clicked their glasses. “Love you to moon, daddy!”

“I love you too, princess, I love you too,”

Tears were pooling in his eyes when he bent down to place a kiss on his daughter’s forehead, but it only took a glance at Fallon for him to realize his wife was already crying.

“And I love you too, babe,” Liam added before capturing her lips with his. “Thank you for helping me bring this cute girl into this world,” he murmured while tickling their daughter’s sides.

“No kissing,” Charlotte groaned when they returned to their previous kiss. “Kiss _gwoss_ ,” she complained.

“It’s adorable how she has you two wrapped around her tiny fingers,” Alexis mentioned.

“Well, mother, I think it’s safe to assume she has _everyone_ in this family wrapped around her fingers,” Fallon commented. “Blake has already sent us a video of what the backyard of the manor is going to look like when we get back to Atlanta,” she explained while settling one arm around her daughter’s body to keep her still on her legs.

“He built her a small Christmas town,” Liam continued. “Fake snow, life sized ginger bread houses, reindeers, elves and last but not least, dozens and dozens of presents,” he laughed.

“Our girl deserves the best,” Alexis could only smile as she watched Charlotte carefully tear a piece of bread before taking it to her mouth.

“Oh my goodness!” Charlotte screamed when the waitress placed a beautiful porcelain plate in front of her. “Look at all this _shwimp_!” Both of her hands flew to her cheek as her jaw dropped to the floor. “ _Shwimp, shwimp, shwimp_!” She bounced in enthusiasm, her diaper clad bottom reaching Fallon’s thighs repeatedly as the waitress finished serving the adults their dishes.

“Are you going to eat all of that, Charlie?” The blonde woman asked her.

“Yes!” The two year old nodded before biting on of the garlic and lemon seasoned jumbo shrimp. “Yum, so delicious!” She hummed while closing her eyes. “I need _mowe_!” She kicked her legs excitedly as she reached for a second one.

“They’re not going to run off your plate, Charlotte,” Fallon informed, holding onto her daughter’s wrist before she could throw the second piece inside her mouth. “Put them in your mouth, chew _slowly_ and then, when you’re done, you get another one, okay?” She instructed.

“Too good, mommy! Too good!”

“I’m glad they’re good, princess, but mommy doesn’t want you to choke or throw up so let’s go easy on the food, alright?”

“ _Alwight_ ,” she murmured.

“Can mommy taste one of those shrimps or are they exclusively for the birthday girl?” She asked.

“I give you one, mommy,” Charlotte smiled brightly then reached for one of the shrimps before carefully raising it to her mother’s lips. “You like it?”

“Mhmm, they’re very delicious indeed,” Fallon nodded in agreement. “Don’t forget your broccoli though,” she reminded the toddler.

“Can you eat them?” She proposed.

“I already have a plate of salad in front of me, Miss Ridley!” She teased her. “I’m eating my share of healthy food so you should eat yours too, smarty,”

“Well, I _twied_ ,” Charlotte shrugged while glancing between her father and grandmother and they all burst out laughing at her sneakiness.

* * *

“Are you having fun, Charlie?” Fallon asked, watching as she kicked her legs underwater inside her [white swam float](https://www.instagram.com/p/B6nE7-FF_xA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link).

“I’m in a duck!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Quack quack!”

“It’s a swam, princess,” Liam taught her, holding onto the walls that closed around the animal as if to make a small tent above the baby, keeping her away from any direct sunlight.

“Isn’t the water cold?” Her mother questioned.

“Good _watey_ , mama!” She quickly responded. “Me floating!” She laughed loud when Liam started moving her from one side to the other, taking short steps across the wide pool so she could see everything around her.

“I see, baby,” Fallon chuckled. “How is it even possible to grow up so fast?” She turned towards her mother before refilling their glasses with more champagne.

“Tell me about it,” Alexis sighed. “Time flies, honey, and believe me, it goes a lot faster when you’re not paying attention,” she admitted. “You have no idea how much I regret not having this kind of memory with you, Fallon,” she spoke softly.

“What’s in the past is in the past, mom,” she murmured while taking a sip of her drink. “I’m glad you’re here for Charlotte now, because this is what matters to me the most right now,” she explained. “Liam and I want to make sure that she has a healthy and solid family and I’m glad you and Blake are in her life because she deserves to have grandparents that love her,”

“I made you this promise the day she was born, Fallon, but I will never stop saying it to you,” the blonde continued. “I will never, not in a million years, let Charlotte down like I let _you_ down,” her tone was firm. “You can’t imagine how happy I was when you invited me to join you three on this trip,”

“You asked for a chance to do it right, mom,” Fallon reminded her. “This is your chance,” she added, gesturing towards father and daughter as they splashed water on each other’s faces.

“Hey, Miss Ridley!” Liam threw her a glare when she threw a huge amount of water at his face, laughing so much her small body was moving back and forth behind the swam’s neck.

“Daddy wet,” Charlotte couldn’t stop laughing at his current state, his hair falling down on his forehead, glued to his skin as he tried to breath through the splashes of water she continued to throw at him.

“Charlie, let your father breath,” her mother could only shake her head at the scene happening in front of her.

“Speaking about them growing up way too fast,” Alexis spoke. “Any chance you two are considering a second one?”

“What?” Fallon threw herself forward as she choked on the champagne she was just about to swallow. “A second _baby_?”

“Yes, Fallon, a second baby, of course,” the blonde laughed.

“We’ve talked about it, yeah,” she confessed. “But we both agree that it’s not the right time yet. We think it’s important for Charlotte to have at least one sibling but we want to enjoy her a little longer before having another one,” she explained. “Liam might be a stay at home dad but my work requires a lot from me and I want to be entirely Charlie’s whenever I’m not working. I feel like we should wait a couple more years before we actually set our feet down on baby number two,”

“Yeah, well, you have to enjoy your marriage as much as you can too, you know?”

“We do, mom,” Fallon reassured her. “We’re all very happy,”

“I’m glad, dear,” Alexis smiled, playing with her daughter’s long brown waves while looking at her in total awe.

“My _hai_ is a mess!” Charlotte complained when her brown curls glued to her face, covering her eyes.

“Let’s swim towards mommy so she can fix it,” Liam suggested. “Then we can head to the kids side of the pool so you can swim without your float, okay?”

“ _Pewfect_ , daddy!”

* * *

“You see, Fal? Water is not that bad?” Liam couldn’t resist teasing her when she actually enjoyed sitting down in the kids pool.

“It’s not that bad because it’s a hundred degrees outside,” Fallon rolled her eyes. “But that doesn’t mean I enjoy getting inside a pool,” she spoke while crossing her legs.

“Charlie, princess, come here for a moment,” he requested before pulling out an elastic band from the baby bag located right outside the pool.

“What is it, daddy?”

“Let me just fix your hair, princess,” he told her. “Then you can continue to play,”

“Is it ugly?” Her eyes widened in shock.

“No, baby,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh. “Just slightly messy because you keep diving your head inside the water,” she explained.

“Can you hand me the brush?” Liam asked Fallon. “Come here, you little fishy,” he turned towards the two year old once she started wandering to the other side of the small pool, finally free from the restraints of her float as the pool was shallow enough for her to walk on her own.

“Bubbles, bubbles!” Charlotte screamed in excitement while [blowing air against the water](https://www.instagram.com/p/B7LTn6-lE4i/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link).

“Looks like someone is enjoying the pool like daddy,” Fallon mentioned.

“Well, maybe she’s more of a Ridley than you care to admit,” he shrugged, positioning himself behind their daughter so he could pull her hair up in a short ponytail.

“Mommy, you swim too,” the two year old begged.

“Mommy is right here in the pool with you, princess,”

“You not swimming, mommy,” Charlotte stated. “You have to do this,”

Bending her knees, she started walking away from her father, her chin and mouth underwater as she stared at her parents from a short distance. Once she was done moving in circles for a couple of minutes, she jumped out of the water, throwing her arms up in the air and splashing water all over her parents.

“Wow! You indeed look like a fish swimming like this, baby!” Fallon spoke proudly. “Can you do it again?”

“ _Suwe_ ,” she nodded, running a hand over her head before repeating the movement while heading back towards her parents. “Hey mommy!” She exclaimed while she approached them, her eyes sparkling at her mother as she bent down to blow more bubbles on the water.

“Hey, princess,” she giggled, opening her arms to welcome her daughter in a wet and cold embrace. “Grandma went inside to get your cake. Do you think it’s time we sing you happy birthday or do you want to keep swimming?”

“ _Bithday_ cake?” Charlotte stood up right away, holding her mother’s face in her hands.

“Yes!”

“Cake in the _hewe_?” She pointed at the water surrounding them. “Eat in the pool, mama?”

“I think we can allow that since it’s someone’s birthday,” Liam considered.

“Best _bithday_ _evey_!” The two year old exclaimed then turned around in her mother’s arms to resume her journey of discovery around the pool.

“This is only her second birthday and she’s already saying this kind of thing,” he told his wife. “Maybe we should consider not setting the bar up too high for the next ones?”

“Come on, babe, our daughter deserves the best we can give her,” Fallon teased him with a wide grin.

“I don’t even know how we’re supposed to top a birthday in Dubai next year,” Liam groaned. “Perhaps it’s a great thing that they forget everything about this age,”

“Besides, you’re the one who bought this trip and the one to Spain next month for _my_ birthday,” she reminded him.

“Yeah, I’m definitely spoiling you two way too much,”

“Don’t worry, babe, we will fly somewhere nice for your birthday too,” Fallon promised him. “Now go swim after our daughter before she ends up back at the adults pool,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, well, well... all I can say at this moment is that I wish I was falliam's kid haha... who doesn't want to celebrate her birthday in a pool in Dubai? Well, I certainly do!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this one and as always, your opinion means a lot to me so let me know what you thought of this one!
> 
> And last but not least, don't forget to check this story every day this week for a brand new chapter!!


	46. Messy Play

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday to Sabine!!! Here's some Charlie fun for you, girl! <3

“Mama!” Charlotte screamed the moment she heard the familiar sound of the key turning in the front door’s knob. “Mama!”

The ten month old had been playing with her father on the living room floor for about an hour when she finally heard her mother coming home after a long day at work. Fallon had left for the office incredibly early that morning and had barely spent an hour with her baby girl during breakfast.

Therefore, as soon as Charlotte heard her mother’s heels against the hardwood floor of their foyer, she let go of the toy she was playing with and turned around. Being the smart baby that she was, she already knew exactly what path to take to get to the front door as fast as possible so without further ado, she crawled her way towards her mother.

“Hi, baby girl!” Fallon exclaimed when she noticed [her daughter approaching](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZbKlDKIxdLeYMLi721y30BlugPZeefhd/view).

Dressed in a warm stripped onesie, Charlotte moved across the floor, placing her hands carefully on the floor as she stuck her tongue out, breathless as she quickly tried to reach her mother.

“When did you get this fast, princess?” She questioned, teasing the ten month old while hanging her jacket in the small closet by the door.

“Mama,” she begged, holding onto her mother’s suit pants as she tried to climb on her legs. “Mama!”

“I’m here, baby girl, I’m here,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh at her daughter’s desperation. “Mommy just needs to put away her handbag and jacket,” she explained before closing the door to the closet, purposefully keeping the strap of the pink thermal bag secured on one of her shoulders.

“Eh! Eh!” Charlotte screamed, pulling onto Fallon’s pants in an attempt of standing on her feet.

“Mommy’s right here, princess, there’s no need to fuss,” the brunette chuckled, settling one hand on each side of her daughter’s body as she pulled her up to her.

“Mama,” she murmured, throwing her small arms around her mother’s neck.

“I’ve missed you too, Charlie,” Fallon mentioned, planting a soft and long kiss on the top of the baby girl’s head.

“ _Mil_ , mama,” Charlotte requested while staring up at Fallon with her bright blue eyes. She had only started talking a month back and ever since she had first said the word _mama_ , she had been learning more and more words every day, making it easier for her to request whatever she wanted to her parents.

“Can I at least say hi to daddy first?”

“Mama, ah, ah!” She threw her arms up in the air, bouncing against her mother’s chest in enthusiasm as Fallon walked towards the living room.

“I’m very excited to see you too, princess,” she laughed.

“ _Mil!_ ” Charlotte repeated while pushing her mother’s blouse down.

Although it was a chilly October day, Fallon had still chosen one of her favorite blouses – a long sleeved peach colored satin blouse, with enough buttons open to provide her with an interesting and sexy yet workplace reasonable neckline.

Since the ten month old had already figured out exactly what she needed to do when she was hungry, she wasted no time pulling the two edges of the blouse.

“Didn’t your dad feed you today, princess?” Fallon frowned, adjusting her daughter properly against her chest before unclasping the strap of her bra.

“I’m starting to wonder if that girl ever gets full, actually,” Liam spoke up, looking up at his wife as he pushed himself off the floor. “She ate an entire orange and a couple of strawberries only an hour ago,” he told her.

“Can you put this in the fridge, please?” She asked him, gesturing to the thermal bag. “Just a second, princess,” she whispered at her daughter while pushing the soft fabric of her bra down her breast. “Easy, baby,” she winced in pain when Charlotte attacked her nipple.

It took Fallon about a minute to get used to the feeling of her daughter hungrily sucking on her nipple, but she could only roll her eyes when she felt the ten month old relaxing in her arms. Her tiny hand rested on her Fallon’s chest while her other arm fell loose next to her mother’s waist.

“Oh my god, Fal,” Liam’s eyes widened when he opened the thermal bag to find five breast milk storage bags filled to the brim inside. “How many times did you even pump today?”

“They’re pretty much exploding today,” Fallon informed him. “I’m actually glad Charlotte is this hungry because I could feel them leaking all the way home,” she groaned. “I fed her at seven this morning and the doctor said I should pump every three hours, two if they’re too full, when I’m at the office, remember?”

“Yeah, but it’s not even six o’clock and you’re already feeding her,” he commented. “Even after having pumped all of these,” he pointed to the plastic bags.

“I can’t say that I like having that freaking machine on my breasts every two hours but I guess I should be glad that I have a great milk supply,” she shrugged. “It allows Charlie to get as much as she wants, whenever she wants, and it also allows me to pump enough for her to not need any formula when I’m not home,”

“Well, the more the merrier because this girl never stops eating,” Liam chuckled, closing the thermal bag before heading towards the kitchen. “Besides, you know how much I love how big they’ve gotten,” he threw her a wink and she could only shake her head in disbelief as he disappeared through the threshold.

“Liam?” Fallon called out, raising her voice. “Why is there glitter on Charlotte’s hair?”

* * *

“Oh my god,” Fallon continued to laugh as she replayed the [video on Liam’s phone](https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn2-dagBrnu/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) for the fifth time, finding it hard to stop watching how adorable their daughter looked as she shook her arms and babbled loudly while fully covered with colorful feathers and paper grass.

“There are more photos, babe,” Liam reminded her. “Why don’t you keep swiping so you can check them all?” He suggested when she pressed play on the same video, _again_.

“Paint? How _nice_ ,” she rolled her eyes when she finally swiped to the next photo, a shot of Charlotte on her hands and knees, staring up at the camera with wide eyes and paint all over her hands, arms and face.

The ten month old had fallen asleep right after eating so Fallon had taken the opportunity to take a shower and lie down in bed with her husband. As soon as they were both under the blankets, her body against his and his arm thrown around her smaller frame, he reached for his phone and showed her where they had spent half of their afternoon that day in order to explain why there was still glitter left in their daughter’s hair.

The third one was another video but unlike the first two, Charlotte didn’t seem to be enjoying a lot the fact that she was not only still covered in paint, but she was also covered in foam.

“She looks so perfect,” Fallon commented while going through the photos. “Even though she’s all dirty, she looks so cute, Liam,”

“I was actually surprised to see how much she enjoyed that messy play,” Liam admitted. “Charlie doesn’t like the beach, she doesn’t like the pool, she doesn’t like grass… pretty much like someone I know,” he threw her a teasing grin. “But surprisingly, she enjoyed all that mess,” he chuckled.

“She certainly did,” she nodded. “Oh my god, Liam, what the hell is she eating?” Her eyes widened when she came up a video of her daughter in nothing but her diaper, eating a sticky, red thing out of a large bowl.

“It’s strawberry jelly,”

“With paint, foam and what else?” Fallon asked.

“She was just curious,” Liam reassured her. “Believe me, as soon as she tasted it, she wanted nothing to do with it,” he laughed.

“Aww, I love this one,” Fallon could swear her heart was melting when another video began, a record of her daughter trying to crawl through the white and pink foam in between a couple of colorful balloons. “Poor thing, wants so badly to move and won’t get anywhere,” she giggled.

“Oh, maybe skip that one,” he quickly reached for the phone to swipe to the next photo before she could fully process the one currently displayed on the screen.

“Liam Ridley! You put our daughter inside a box of dirt?” She exclaimed, immediately turning towards him to meet his eyes.

“She’s enjoying it, in my defense!” Liam countered. “And I had to give her about four baths after we got home, so don’t worry, I’ve paid the price for doing that,” he explained. “Charlotte was having the time of her life with the other kids there and they even have places to clean the babies there but when she got home and she realized she was still dirty, she wouldn’t stop crying until she was totally clean,”

“That’s my girl,” Fallon smiled. “You still didn’t wash her hair enough,” she teased him.

“Do you have any idea of how hard it is to get glitter off someone’s hair?” He questioned.

“You’ve never been to a strip club?” She asked back. “I’m sure you’d have the answer to that had you been…”

“How nice of you to compare fun glitter from a messy play with my daughter to stripper’s glitter,” Liam murmured, rolling his eyes.

“At the end, it’s still just as hard to get rid of the glitter, babe,” Fallon said playfully before leaning closer to him to give her husband a quick peck on the lips.

“You’re unbelievable,” he sighed.

“You’re the one who took her to that place,” she shrugged.

“You’re pretty much in love with the pictures and videos though,” Liam mentioned. “So I guess it was worth it,”

“I am very happy with the captures and to see who happy she was this afternoon but you’re the one washing her hair until all that glitter comes out,” Fallon told him. “We clear?”

“We’re clear,” he replied with a nod. “Now, Charlie will probably wake up soon so can I please enjoy my wife for a little while since I haven’t seen her all day?” He requested as a devious smirk appeared on the corner of his lips.

“What do you have in mind, Mr. Ridley?” She asked teasingly.

“How about we enjoy some messy play of our own, Mrs. Ridley?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed this one!! Let me know what you think of it!


	47. Supermarket Fun

“What’s happening in here that the biggest foodie of the house isn’t down in the kitchen asking for lunch?” Liam asked while entering the playroom.

[“Hello! Welcome to my shop, daddy!”](https://www.instagram.com/p/B_iH0_wlURg/?igshid=hiq15mksql16) Charlotte greeted him with a huge smile.

The two year old was standing right behind the counter of her most recent toy, the one that had simply become her favorite over the past moth, a life sized supermarket counter with everything it had to offer. Half of the toy was higher than Charlotte herself but the gray counter, with two shelves filled with baskets and paper boxes underneath it, and the cashier on top of it, was enough to keep her entertained for hours on end.

“Are you too busy with your customers to come down for lunch, princess?”

“ _Cwoded_ _supeymaket_ today, daddy! _Cwoded_!” She threw her arms up in the air.

Liam couldn’t help but laugh as he approached her. Earlier that morning, he remembered dressing her in a jean jumpsuit, a light yellow short-sleeved t-shirt and golden sandals but from what he could see, she had gotten rid of her shoes and the yellow piece. He had split her hair in half, pulling them up in two separate buns on each side of her head but since she had apparently attempted to undress herself in the middle of the day, her brown curls were a mess, pointing in every direction as she walked around.

“Did you take off your t-shirt?” He frowned.

“Yes, I did,” Charlotte nodded.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“No,” she shook her head.

“I believe I need some food since your shop is open at the moment,” Liam spoke up. “I might have forgotten to get some stuff yesterday at the grocery store,” he told her. “Do you think you have time for one more customer?” He asked.

“Of _couse_ , daddy,” Charlotte replied. “What would you like?”

“Mhmm,” he murmured, scanning his eyes through the items on the counter to choose the products he would like to have.

Noticing Charlotte had already selected some products herself during her alone playtime, Liam decided to get the ones currently sitting on the conveyor belt of the check out counter.

“Can I have some cereal, please?” He requested.

“Mhmm,” she repeated the sound he had just made, placing her index finger on one of her cheeks as she wondered what she should do next. “Yes!” She exclaimed. “You like that?” She asked, showing him the fake box of fruit loops.

“Yes please,”

“Okay,” Charlotte murmured before walking towards the end of the counter to carefully place the large cereal box inside the shopping bag hanging from its side.

“Now, how about that butter?” Liam suggested. “The green one,” he pointed towards one of the small boxes.

“ _Thewe_ it goes,” the two year old mentioned while throwing the paper box into the bag. “Soup too, daddy?” She looked up at him.

“Is it tomato flavored?” He asked. “You know daddy loves tomato soup,”

“Yeah, tomato, daddy,” Charlotte nodded. “Want to buy it?”

“Sure,” Liam replied. “Maybe we can cook it together tonight so mommy can have a nice dinner waiting for her when she gets home, what do you think?” He proposed.

“Yes!” She jumped up and down briefly before returning to her task as the supermarket lady. “Hold on,” she groaned, biting on her bottom lip just as her mother used to do when she was extremely focused on a task while rolling the conveyor belt to get the can of soup closer to her.

“Don’t forget my cheese,” he informed her, gesturing towards the last remaining box on the counter.

“I won’t, daddy,” Charlotte reassured him and he couldn’t help but laugh when she took her hand to the conveyor belt handle instead of reaching for the box that was right in front of her. He could swear that specific part of the toy was, by far, her favorite part as she would roll it every time she scanned a new item for the customer across from her. “Thank you!” She spoke, the most adorable voice echoing around the playroom.

“How much do I owe you?” Liam questioned.

“Mhmm,” she wondered, staring deeply at her father’s blue eyes before deciding on a price. “Fifteen, daddy,”

“Alright,” he nodded, secretly reaching for the red plastic card hidden next to the box of broccoli on the bottom shelf. “Here,” he added before handing the card out to her.

“ _Cwedit_ , daddy?” Charlotte asked, tapping random buttons on the screen the card machine.

“Yes, please,”

“Okay, _cwedit_ it is,” she mentioned, hitting a few extra buttons before swiping his card down. “All paid, daddy!” She exclaimed while returning the fake card to her father. “Thank you _foy_ shopping at _Chalie’s_!” She smiled from ear to ear as she walked towards the shopping bag, grabbing its dark green handles in both her hands so she could give it to him.

“You’re welcome! Your service has been great so I will make sure to come back to Charlie’s more often whenever I need groceries,” Liam told her.

“We _awe_ always open,”

“ _Always_ open?” He chuckled. “Do you have other employees that can take care of the shop while you have lunch?”

“I do,” Charlotte nodded. “Mommy _hiwed_ Lola last night,” she informed him, walking across the room so she could grab the huge stuffed bunny. “She can _wowk_ while I eat,” she explained, setting the animal behind the check out counter.

“Why is mommy in charge of hiring the employees to your supermarket?” Liam asked, taking her hand gently in his so he could guide her out of the room.

“Because mommy _smayt_ , daddy,” she responded. “She business woman,”

“Oh, that’s right,” he affirmed. “I’m sure you two will be making a lot of money in no time with your supermarket business,”

“We will,” Charlotte spoke while jumping down the hallway in the direction of the grand staircase of their mansion. “What _foy_ lunch, daddy?” The two year old raised her chin to look at her father.

“Spaghetti carbonara, princess,” Liam replied and her eyes instantly sparkled at the mention of one of her favorite dishes.

“I love that!” She screamed in excitement. “Lots of cheese and lots of bacon?”

“As long as we don’t tell mommy we ate all of her bacon?” He whispered.

“We have _supeymaket_ , daddy,” Charlotte reminded him. “We buy mommy bacon,”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot for a minute that my two year old is already a business woman herself,” Liam giggled, pulling his daughter up in his arms so they could make their way down the stairs.

“I am,” she nodded.

“Then what do you say we cover our pasta with a mountain of Grana Padano cheese and tiny bacon cubes?” He suggested while tickling her stomach.

“I say,” the toddler began, raising her finger to her lips as she pretended to think. “Let’s do it!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it!! Let me know what you think!!


	48. A Makeup Mess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoyed last chapter with some charlie and daddy fun because now... it's time for some charlie and mommy time!

“Mommy?” Charlotte whispered, slowly pushing the door to her parents’ bedroom open. “Mommy?” She asked again when there was no answer. “Hello!” She murmured as she walked further into the wide room. “I’m _bowed_ ,” she sighed in frustration while heading towards the ensuite. “Mommy?” She called out, realizing her mother was deep in thought inside the shower, running her hands through her hair as she spread the shampoo over her hair.

“Hey baby,” Fallon spoke up, opening her eyes before turning towards her daughter. “Everything okay?”

“I’m _bowed_ ,” she murmured.

“Do you want to join mommy in the shower?” She suggested.

“No,” the two year old shook her head. “No _showey_ ,”

“Mommy needs some time, princess,” Fallon told her. “Why don’t you wait for mommy back in the bedroom while I finish washing my hair?”

“Okay,” Charlotte nodded.

“Daddy is going out for dinner with his cousins and he’s going to call us before he leaves for the restaurant,” she explained. “He wants to read you your bedtime story before he leaves in case he gets back to the hotel too late,”

“Okay,” she replied before rushing out of the ensuite. “ _Giwl’s_ night! _Giwl’s_ night!” She screamed, jumping up and down on her way to parents’ king size bed. “Ohh, mommy’s bag,” she whispered while reaching for her mother’s handbag, the orange Prada item she had chosen for that day.

Climbing onto the bed, she crawled all the way up to the pillows while dragging the large handbag with her. Once she was sitting comfortably right in between her mother’s pair of pillows and her father’s, she carefully and sneakily pulled the zipper to the right until she could see all of its contents.

“Alexa, _tuwn_ on the TV,” the two year old requested, staring up at the wide screen across the room. “Open Disney Plus,” she continued. “Now _Fwozen_!” She added shortly, laughing in excitement when the familiar Disney opening song began filling the room. “ _Pewfect_!”

As the movie started rolling, Charlotte held the handbag upside down on the mattress until everything fell off it, landing between her spread out legs.

“ _Bowing_ ,” the toddler rolled her eyes when she opened a small bag and found nothing but pills and tampons. “What in hewe?” She asked herself while opening her mother’s wallet. “Ohh nice,” a suspicious grin appeared on the corner of her lips as soon as she laid her eyes on the considerably large amount of dollar bills inside the leather item. “Mhmm, _Chalie_ likes Benjamin _Fwanklin_ ,” she mentioned, going through the bills until she recognized her favorite United States President. “ _Foy_ the mall _tomowow_ ,” she spoke as she carefully placed the hundred dollar bill on the mattress before closing the wallet.

For the next five minutes, the two year old went through everything she could find inside her mother’s handbag. From taking a hundred dollar bill to eating all the almonds Fallon kept in her purse in case she wanted a snack, she checked everything until she finally found what she really wanted.

“Makeup!” Charlotte giggled to herself when she opened the small red bag, her eyes widening and her ocean blue orbs sparkling at the sight of her mother’s fancy make up.

* * *

“Oh, my, god!” It was all Fallon was able to say when she stepped out of the ensuite in her bathrobe, her hair still wet cascading down her shoulders as she had a strong feeling in her chest that Charlotte had been alone for too long.

Not only was all of her personal stuff scattered all over the bed but her two year old daughter had clearly gone through her make up bag. As the [young brunette](https://www.instagram.com/p/CDg8TH7FVxy/?igshid=aft8thu0bf02) applied a pink gloss lipstick to her lips, Fallon almost fell backwards when she noticed how much eyeliner and mascara her daughter had on her face. In fact, her eyelashes were probably the only part of her face that _hadn’t_ gotten any of the mascara because there was so much black around her eyes, cheeks and forehead that Fallon couldn’t help but wonder if there was any left in the tube.

“Charlotte Grace Ridley, what the hell did you do?” She questioned nervously at her daughter’s current state, rushing towards the bed to gather the make up before the toddler could do even more damage.

“ _Chalie_ in makeup!” She exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air in enthusiasm. “Like mommy!”

“You look like a panda, Charlotte,” Fallon rolled her eyes, sighing when she noticed her daughter had chosen the _waterproof_ eyeliner to play with. “A _cute_ panda, but still a panda,” she shrugged, sitting down on the mattress to check her face closely. “And you’ll probably _remain_ a panda for a couple of days,”

“I want _eyeliney_ like mama,” Charlotte pouted. “Not _pwetty_ though,” she murmured, crawling towards her mother before climbing on her legs and throwing her arms around her neck.

“Princess, you don’t need eyeliner to be pretty,” she spoke, planting a kiss on the top of her daughter’s head. “You don’t need _any_ makeup,”

“Mama help?” She asked with pleading eyes.

“As long as you promise not to go through mommy’s handbag again,” Fallon replied. “Where did you get this, by the way?” She added while reaching for the hundred-dollar bill.

“ _Foy_ the mall _tomowow_ , mommy,” Charlotte shrugged.

“You can’t take mommy’s money without asking her for it, Charlotte. That’s very impolite of you, princess,” she explained. “You can _never_ take people’s money without their permission, Charlie. _Never_ , okay?”

“But _youy_ money, mommy,”

“That doesn’t make it okay, princess,” Fallon spoke softly. “Even though it’s my money, it’s still not yours and you can’t just take it without asking mommy,” she continued. “If you want to buy something, you ask mommy and she will think about it, okay? But never take bills from my wallet unless I tell you it’s okay to do it, alright?”

“Okay, mama,” the two year old nodded. “I’m _sowy_ , mama,”

“Come on, let’s go clean that makeup off your face,” she chuckled before standing up with Charlotte in her arms. “But we’re stopping at your bedroom first to get you fresh and clean pajamas because this Peppa Pig shirt is going straight into the laundry basket,”

* * *

“Okay, Miss Ridley, whenever you want to play with makeup, you use this one,” Fallon instructed, handing her the pink makeup kit Alexis had given her granddaughter only a couple of weeks back. 

After about an hour, the toddler was finally clean and with no makeup stains all over her face and clothes. Her hair was up in a messy bun on top of her head and she wore her second choice of pajamas for that night, a light pink silk onesie with two beautiful white swans on its collar.

“[Pink makeup](https://www.instagram.com/p/CHYRsiol5c4/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link),” Charlotte commented.

“Yes,” she nodded. “And this one is all Charlie’s, so you can do whatever you want with,” she wasn’t even able to finish her sentence before the two year old threw half of the stuff on the bed, laughing loudly at what she had just done while glancing up at her mother. “You’re certainly very agitated tonight, aren’t you?”

“ _Giwl’s_ night, mommy!” She exclaimed.

“Can we at least watch a movie of mommy’s choice tonight?” Fallon requested. “I don’t think I can watch Frozen for the second night in a row,” she murmured.

“But _Fwozen_ a classic, mommy,”

“Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a classic, Charlie, not Frozen,” she couldn’t help but roll her eyes as the toddler threw her a glare.

“You can choose,” Charlotte replied while snuggling against her mother’s body. “But Disney,”

“Of course it has to be Disney,” Fallon chuckled. “You really think I would choose something else?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugged, moving her shoulder slightly upwards as she held her palms up with a pout. “Mommy likes Tiffany’s,”

“She does,” the brunette giggled, throwing an arm around her daughter before pulling the warm blanket over their bodies. “Can’t we watch mommy’s favorite for once?”

“ _I’m_ mommy’s favorite,” Charlotte replied. “So I choose,”

“Your dad’s right… maybe you _have_ been spending _way_ too much time with me,” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh, speaking of him, we should probably give him a call because he clearly forgot about us,”

“Daddy _pawtying_ in Big Apple, mommy,” she reminded her mother. “With the Van _Kiwks_ , _wemembey_?”

“Who told you he’s partying, Miss Ridley?” She questioned with a frown. “He flew to New York for business, not partying,”

“I don’t know,” Charlotte shrugged again, burying her head in her mother’s chest as soft and timid giggles escaped her.

“What are you not telling me, young lady?” Fallon asked, turning slightly onto her side as her hand flew to her daughter’s body. “Tell mommy what you know or the Tickle Monster will get you!” She exclaimed, giving Charlotte less than a minute before she started to tickle the two year old.

“Mommy!” She screamed loudly when she realized she was trapped between Fallon and the mattress, unable to do anything but squirm and kick her legs as she tried to get away from her mother’s teasing hands.

“Did daddy tell you he was going partying tonight, Miss Ridley?” She continued, moving her hands up and down the toddler’s small body as fast as she could while her laugh echoed around the luxury master bedroom.

“You _toytowuing_ me, mama!” Charlotte begged.

“Oh, saved by the bell,” Fallon chuckled when the familiar ringtone began, the soft music mixing with Charlotte’s laugh as it filled the room. “Guess I’m going to have to ask daddy myself,”

“ _Chalie_ said nothing,” she murmured, throwing her mother her famous puppy eyes as the older brunette reached for the vibrating iPhone on the nightstand.

“Miss Charlie is going to get into trouble if she continues to keep secrets from mommy,” she replied.

“ _Chalie_ an angel,” the two year old offered her mother a bright smile while placing her hands under her chin. “See?” She blinked a couple of times, staring up at her mother so her blue eyes would help her achieve her desired goal. “Angel,”

“Yeah, yeah, _totally_ an angel,” Fallon could only roll her eyes before accepting the facetime call. “I heard someone is partying in the Big Apple tonight,” she spoke as soon as her husband’s face popped up on her screen. “Is there anything you would like to tell me, Mr. Ridley?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all liked it! Let me know what you thought of it!


	49. House Chores With Daddy

“Oh, look who decided to finally join us living humans,” Liam couldn’t help but tease his daughter when he noticed her squirming beneath the two layers of warm blankets on the king size bed.

“Daddy?” Charlotte mumbled, opening her mouth wide as the loudest of yawns escaped her lungs. “Time is it?” She asked while rubbing her hands against her eyes.

“Almost four,” he replied. “I was supposed to wake you up at three but you looked so adorable that I didn’t have the heart to wake you,” he mentioned.

“I’m _tiwed_ ,” the two year old complained, sitting up only to throw herself back against the pillows behind her. “Good night,” she added softly, turning onto her right side while placing both hands under her cheek.

“No, no, no, princess,” Liam shook his head. Setting the laundry basket he was supposed to carry to the closet on the floor, he took a couple of steps towards the bed then sat down on the edge of the mattress. “Don’t make me tickle you,”

“No want to wake up,” she groaned. “I miss mama,” she finally confessed, throwing her arm over one of the fluffiest pillows. “Mama,” she murmured while hugging the object tightly against her chest, inhaling the familiar scent of her mother’s shampoo.

“Mommy won’t be home for another couple of days, princess,” he reminded her. “You know how much she missed your Aunt Monica so mommy deserves this week off to see her friend, don’t you think?”

“Mommy in _Pawis_ without me, daddy,” Charlotte told him with a pout. “I _deseyved_ to go too,” she crossed her arms in front of her.

“What do you even know about Paris, Miss Ridley?” Liam couldn’t help but chuckle.

“It _pwetty_ ,” the toddler said nonchalantly. “With lights and chocolate!” She added. “Mama said _pwetty_ clothes too,”

“I’m sure she will bring you _lots_ of presents, princess,” he reassured her. “But while mommy is away on a girl’s trip with her friend, we have an entire week to do whatever we want! Just you and me,”

“I guess,” she shrugged.

“Daddy needs to organize and sort out that stuff,” Liam pointed towards the blue basket by the closet’s door, the medium sized item filled with all kinds of underclothes. “I have to separate what is mommy’s and what is daddy’s and then put them all away in the drawers,” he told her. “You know mommy has a specific space for each kind and color so why don’t you help daddy out? You can tell me all about the colors you’ve been learning!” He suggested excitedly. “Then afterwards we can go down to the kitchen to bake?”

“I like that, daddy,” Charlotte nodded, letting out another yawn before climbing out of the bed. “This is _wed_ ,” she began, reaching inside the basket to grab the red lacy bra before throwing it over her shoulder. “Blue,” she rambled, doing the same thing to the light blue panties she had just found. “Black,” she continued, rolling her eyes at how easy that assigned task was as she threw the tiny black lace v-string thong on the floor. “You not helping?” She turned towards her father with a frown.

“When I asked you to help me, I meant folding them and putting them in the drawer…” He commented. “I don’t really think the floor is their rightful location, princess?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugged.

“Could you grab them from the floor so we can put them away?” Liam requested softly.

“Okay, daddy,” Charlotte nodded before bending down to pick the three pieces of underwear she had just thrown out of the basket. “What now?” She looked up at him once she got them all.

“Now we go into the closet,” he instructed, placing one hand on the back of her shoulder so he could guide her in the right direction. “Then we turn to mommy’s side,” he spoke while turning left. “Now we open the first drawer, which is where she keeps her bras,” he explained. “You only have one bra and you said it’s red so where should we put it?”

“ _Hewe_ ,” she replied, carefully placing the item next to the other red ones that were already on the right side of the small drawer before making sure it was positioned exactly like the other ones.

“Perfect, princess,” Liam offered her a smile.

“Now panties,” Charlotte mentioned.

“Yes, that’s right,” he nodded. “So we close this drawer and open the one to the right,” he continued. “Can you put them in here, Charlie?”

“Yes, daddy,” she replied.

“We have to fold them before we place them in the drawer,” Liam told her. “Like this,” he added, folding the blue piece before handing it back to her. “Where do they go now?”

“ _Hewe_ , daddy!” The two year old exclaimed after carefully placing the underwear on top of the light blue pile.

“Good job, baby girl!”

“Now black,” Charlotte requested, offering him the lingerie thong so he could fold the item like he had just done with the blue one. “This easy, daddy,” she murmured and he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Daddy’s going to get the basket so we can sort them all out, alright?” She replied with a nod. “Then, if you get all the colors right, we will get to finally that huge bowl of Nutella that is hidden in the top cabinet,”

“Yes!” She screamed, throwing her arms up in the air in excitement.

* * *

“Okay, [mini chef](https://www.instagram.com/p/CCT083lFgqZ/?igshid=2v6xb7uubs36), we’re going to make the chocolate pizza now that the others are in the oven and then the cupcakes. How does that sound?” Liam asked, placing one hand on each side of her body so he could pull her up and sit her on the kitchen counter.

“ _Pewfect!_ ” Charlotte exclaimed, adjusting her chef hat on the top of her head.

“Alright,” he murmured. “What should we put on our pizza, Miss Ridley?”

“Nutella!” It was the first thing she said when he brought the dough to her side.

“Okay,” Liam nodded while opening the chocolate cream. “Grab a spoonful and put it over the dough,” he instructed while handing her a large spoon.

Carefully, Charlotte dipped the spoon inside the bowl of Nutella. As soon as she got as much as she could, she moved it towards their pizza then poured the cream over the dough.

“ _Mowe_ ,” she spoke before repeating the action.

“Now we have to spread the chocolate so it covers the entire pizza,” he instructed.

“Okay, daddy,”

Before Liam could offer her any other instruction, she was leaning towards the pizza they were going to share for dessert. Placing both hands on the Nutella covered dough, she started spreading the chocolate with her palms.

“Remember how we used a spoon to spread the tomato sauce on our first pizza?” Liam questioned.

“No spoon,” Charlotte shook her head, taking one hand up to her lips to lick the chocolate cream off it.

“You sure like to make a mess,” he could only laugh when all the Nutella from her hand somehow began appearing on her face.

“Mhmm, this is good, daddy!” She ran her tongue across her top lip before offering him her free hand. “ _Twy_ it,”

“Off your hand?” Liam frowned, as if disgusted with the idea.

“You do with mom,” Charlotte murmured.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied, pretended to be oblivious of what his daughter was currently talking about even though he was fully aware of what she meant.

As a great and thoughtful husband, Liam had prepared the best breakfast in bed for Fallon the morning before 7her flight to Paris with her best friend. While he had done everything to make sure all the food and drinks were perfectly arranged on the wooden tray, he had been clumsy enough to drop some of the syrup all over his wife’s hand. Much to their luck, their daughter decided to greet them good morning just as he was teasing Fallon by licking the sticky and sugary liquid off her fingers.

“I love you, daddy,” she smirked deviously before smashing both hands on his cheeks, spreading chocolate all over his freshly shaved stubble.

“Oh, you’re not going to get away with this, young lady!” Liam let out a diabolical yet funny laugh while pushing a finger inside the bowl of Nutella. “I think someone looks too white this afternoon,” he informed her before running his dirty finger over her forehead.

“Daddy!” Charlotte’s eyes widened.

“You want more? Sorry, my bad,” he shrugged, reaching for more Nutella only to cover her cheeks with the chocolate cream.

“You mean, daddy,” she pouted.

“I thought you wanted as much Nutella as you could get,” Liam commented.

“To _eat_ ,” the two year old rolled her eyes. “Not my face,” she groaned, sticking her tongue out of her mouth in an attempt of getting the chocolate currently on her cheek.

“We should probably finish this pizza,” he chuckled. “Do you think you can add the toppings without eating half of them?”

“Can’t make _pwomises_ ,” the toddler shook her head.

“You’re not going to have space in that stomach of yours for your own margherita pizza if you keep filling it with marshmallows,” Liam threw her a suspicious look when she stole a tiny, light pink marshmallow out of the bowl. “Or chocolate chips,” he added when he noticed her small hand traveling towards the large bowl.

“Always have space,” Charlotte told him.

“Yeah, yeah,” he giggled. “I need to get our pizzas out of the oven. Can I trust you to put the toppings on the dough and not eat them, princess?”

“Yes, you can,” she nodded.

“Perfect,”

* * *

“How are your cupcakes, Charlie?” Liam asked.

“Delicious, daddy!” The two year old [exclaimed](https://www.instagram.com/p/CACk9b2FEfl/), raising her right arm to give him a thumbs up. “Too good,” she murmured while chewing on the small piece of cake she had just thrown inside her mouth.

“What did you do with your socks?” He frowned when he realized she was barefoot.

“Took them off,” Charlotte replied, as if it was totally obvious.

“So you’re cold enough to request that warm and cozy jumpsuit but you don’t need socks?” Liam questioned, gesturing to her red fleece Minnie Mouse pajamas.

“I slip with socks, daddy,” she told him. “No falling,” she shook her head.

“Which is why daddy only buys you non-slip socks, princess,” he chuckled, rolling his eyes. “I don’t want you walking on this cold floor without socks,”

“You can _cawy_ me,” the toddler suggested with a smirk.

“You sleep in my bed, you eat half of my pizza and now you want me to carry you around too?” Liam faked a cry, pretending to be deeply upset by her suggestion.

“We cuddle, daddy,”

“Cuddling won’t change the fact that my own daughter is using me,” he teased her.

“ _Chalie_ loves you, daddy, to the moon!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Cupcake?” She asked while offering him one of the tiny cakes. “I _looooooove_ you,” she added, opening her arms widely as soon as he reached for the cupcake in her hand.

“You ready to go up to bed?”

“Yeah,” she nodded as a yawn escaped her lips.

“It’s a bit early for you though,” Liam mentioned. “Would you like to watch a movie after we brush our teeth?”

“Movie and cuddles?” The toddler’s eyes sparkled in excitement.

“Is there any other way?” He questioned, picking her up in his arms before planting a loud smack on her cheek.

“No, _thewe_ isn’t, daddy!” Charlotte shook her head, wrapping her arms around her father’s neck before burying her face in the crook of his neck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!!


	50. Bike Ride

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note for this chapter: the underlined dialogue means they are being spoken in spanish.

**Atlanta. 4:13PM**

“Uncle Sam!” Charlotte screamed once she managed to ride her small bike without falling through the concrete path near the Carrington Lake. “I did it!” She told him. “I did it!” She repeated, [balancing herself](https://www.instagram.com/p/CCL6Q04FkfO/?igshid=1mgxabjhjktfm) on the small black seat while pedaling away from her uncle.

“You did it, chiquita!” Sam exclaimed, clapping his hands in excitement as he watched her stay completely still on her brand new bike.

“Ahh!” She gasped, letting go of the handlebars as she fell to her right. “Uncle Sam! Help me!” She begged when she landed on the pavement with the small pink bike on top of her.

“Are you okay?” It was the first thing he asked, reaching for the bike before helping her get back on her feet.

“Not really,” Charlotte shook her head while staring down at the back of her elbow. “Look at this mess!”

“It’s okay,” Sam reassured her.

“My Gucci hoodie, Uncle Sam!” She was on the verge of tears, tracing the brown spots of dust on the gray fabric with her fingers.

“We can throw it in the washing machine when we get back to the manor, Charlie,” he told her. “You will see that it will look as if it was brand new,”

“You _pwomise_?”

“I promise,” Sam nodded, adjusting the pink helmet on top of her head since it had slipped slightly to the side during her fall. “Are you hurt?” She shook her head. “Do you want to try again?”

“Yeah,” Charlotte agreed. “Call mommy and daddy,” she requested. “To show them, Uncle Sam!”

“It’s late for them, chiquita,” he spoke softly. “Why don’t I record you riding the bike and we send it to them so they can watch it when they get up in the morning?”

“Not late,” she murmured, crossing her arms against her chest while frowning and pouting at him. “Sun is up, it’s not late,” she shook her head again.

“It is where they are,” Sam replied. “They’re at the beach, remember? In the middle of the ocean?”

“But I want to call them,” Charlotte begged as she looked down at her white Gucci shoes. “Please,”

“Spanish, remember?”

“ _Por favor!_ ” She repeated.

**Maldives. 1:25AM**

“Oh for god’s sake!” Fallon groaned loudly when her phone started ringing, the annoying sound of the traditional iPhone ringtone echoing around the elegant and romantic bangalow. 

“Ignore it,” Liam murmured, finally opening his eyes after having kept them closed for the past five minutes, simply enjoying the extraordinary feeling of his wife moving slowly on top of him as his hands roamed up and down her sides.

“I can’t, babe. What if it’s about Charlotte? You know how easily that little girl gets into trouble…” She rolled her eyes, throwing herself on the mattress before jumping off the bed. “Can’t people understand that we’re nine hours ahead of them?” She sighed.

“Just check who it is,” he shrugged while reaching for the end of the silk sheets to cover his lower body. “If it’s not important then just,” his sentence was cut short when she held the phone towards him and he read the name on the top of the screen. **Sam Jones**.

“This better be important,” Fallon spoke right after accepting the call. “Is Charlie hanging from a building or something that you need to call us at one in the morning?”

“Hi mommy!” Charlotte exclaimed at the sound of Fallon’s voice. “Why you black, mama?” She asked, noticing the rectangle where her mother should appear was pitch black during the facetime call. “We can’t see you,”

“Oh god,” she sighed, running a hand through her hair as she looked around the room in search of her clothes. “Hold on,” she requested, muting the call before setting the phone back down on the table. “I seriously don’t understand how you manage to make my clothes disappear everytime you take them off me,” she rolled her eyes, rushing into the fancy ensuite to get one of the bathrobes.

“There’s a hickey on your neck, by the way,” Liam informed her, sitting up on the bed and leaning against the headboard, proof that he was certainly enjoying watching her freak out. “You might want to hide that from them,”

“Yeah, well, you might want to take care of that by yourself,” Fallon gestured to his lower body, pointing specifically to the part he had just hidden under the sheets. “Hi baby,” she smiled once she finally turned the camera on.

“Mama!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Hello!” She waved at her.

“What are you up to with that pretty helmet, princess?” She asked.

“Uncle Sam teach me to _wide_ bike!” The two year old told her mother. “I _wode_ with no wheels, mommy!”

“Oh my god, you didn’t need training wheels?” Fallon’s eyes widened in surprise, not only at the thought of her daughter learning how to ride a bike when she didn’t even have a bike but also at the idea of her not needing training wheels. “Not even a little bit?”

“No,” she shook her head. “ _Twaining_ wheels _awe_ _foy_ babies, mommy,”

“I see,” she couldn’t help but laugh. “And you’re a big girl, isn’t that right?”

“I am!” Charlotte threw her arms up in the air. “Big _giwl_!” She smiled brightly. “You in the pool, mommy?” She frowned when she noticed her mother was no longer inside the room.

“No, just outside,” Fallon replied, switching to the back camera in order to show them their private pool and the wide ocean in front of her, both illuminated by the yellow string lights outlining the luxury bangalow’s roof.

“That’s _pwetty_ , mama!” She commented. “You want to see me _wide_ , mommy?”

“Oh my god, of course I do!” She exclaimed. “Where did you get that bike, by the way, princess?”

“We went shopping this _mowning_ ,”

“You did?” Fallon asked as Sam grabbed his phone to switch to the back camera while the two year old hopped back on her bike.

“She’s barely spoken English ever since yesterday so I figured she deserved something, you know?” Sam told the brunette. “But don’t worry, she only fell once and everything is under control over here,”

“My daughter better be completely scratch free when we come back to Atlanta, Sam!” She threw him a glare through the screen. “Princess, wait a second before you start, if I don’t show it to your dad he’s going to kill me,”

“Why am I going to kill you?” Liam questioned when she returned to the bedroom.

“Charlie learned how to ride a bike without training wheels and she wants us to see,”

“She did what?!” He shouted. “Without _us_?!”

“Which is why she’s calling us, silly,” Fallon rolled her eyes. “So we can watch her,”

“It’s not the same thing and you know it,” Liam complained.

“Watch me, mommy, watch me, daddy!” Charlotte screamed at the camera before focusing on her bike.

Placing her foot carefully on the pedal, she raised her chin and looked ahead as she started moving her legs, just like her Uncle Sam had taught her to. In no longer than a minute, the two year old was riding her pink bike down the lake path of the Carrington Manor and neither Fallon or Liam were able to keep the tears from rolling down her cheeks.

“Did you see?” She asked right after settling one foot on the ground. “Did you see?” She repeated, dropping the bike so she could run towards the phone.

“We did, princess! That was so nice!” Fallon responded.

“I wish I was there to see you, baby girl,” Liam complemented. “You think we can ride together when we get back home?”

“Of _couwse_ , daddy,” Charlotte nodded.

“We loved seeing you, princess, but it’s late here and mommy and daddy need to go, okay?” The brunette spoke softly. “We miss you very much, Charlie,”

“I miss you too,” she pouted.

“Only a few more days, okay?” Liam promised her. “Besides, you seem to be having a lot of fun with your uncle,”

“I am,” the two year old admitted. “But I want you two,”

“Early next week, princess,” he reassured her.

“Okay,” Charlotte nodded. “Good night, mommy, good night, daddy,” she waved them goodbye. “Love you,”

“Love you to the moon and back, princess,” they offered her a smile and blew her a kiss before ending the call.

“She’s two years old, Fal, how can she possibly be riding a bike without training wheels?” Liam turned towards her as soon as she placed the phone on the nightstand.

“Our daughter does nothing by the book, Liam,” Fallon chuckled. “She’s going to be a genius someday, I can guarantee you,”

“She’s still a baby, she can’t ride a bike,”

“You just saw, with your own eyes, that she can,” she told him. “But don’t worry, she will _always_ be our baby, Liam,”

“I really hope so,” he sighed.

“Now where were we?” Fallon threw him a devious wink before climbing back on top of him.

**Atlanta. 7:47PM**

“There you are,” Sam sighed in relief, walking into Fallon’s old bedroom to find Charlotte [sitting by the fireplace](https://www.instagram.com/p/CEjHstfJ4IV/?igshid=1q2nf6dlmyya8) after having searched the entire first floor for the two year old. “Did you open the staircase’s gate, Miss Ridley?”

“I did,” Charlotte nodded, not even bothering to look up from her plastic tea set as she enjoyed her tea party with her Winnie the Pooh collection of stuffed toys.

“You’re not supposed to do that, Charlie. You could have fallen and gotten yourself hurt,”

“Held the _baws_ ,” she shrugged before taking one cup up to Eeyore’s mouth. “Would you like some juice?” She asked him.

“What did your mom say about speaking english?” Sam questioned her.

“No english,” Charlotte shook her head, staring down briefly as she was fully aware of her mistake. “Spanish only with Uncle Sam,” she murmured.

“Exactly,” he nodded. “Apparently it’s great for children’s development to learn different languages at a very young age and you’re the smartest one in the family, aren’t you?” He teased her, knowing a bit of competition was exactly what could make her interested in something. After all, at two and a half years old, there was simply no doubt the little girl was the perfect and undeniable replica of her mother.

“I am,” she agreed. “But _tiwed_ , Uncle Sam,”

“Maybe we should get you all up to bed then?” Sam suggested, reaching for Winnie the Pooh.

“Oh no!” Charlotte exclaimed, quickly grabbing the yellow bear’s foot. “Oh no! Winnie, the Pooh,” she spoke in excitement.

Taking the stuffed animal to her lap to prevent Sam from reaching for it again, she adjusted his small red shirt before placing him back next to her.

“ _Hewe_ you go, Winnie the Pooh,” she told the bear as she sat it down besides her. “Oh no!” Her head shot straight up, staring up at her uncle when the stuffed animal fell on his back. “Winnie the Pooh sat down,” she chuckled.

“I think he’s tired,” Sam commented. “Why don’t we change into our pajamas so we can go to bed?” He asked, switching back to his birth language.

“No bed,” Charlotte complained. “We make mommy a video?” She requested.

“We can, but I’m sure she will be a lot happier if you’re in your pajamas, with your teeth perfectly brushed and in bed… don’t you think?”

“Maybe,” she shrugged.

“I’m going to grab your pajamas while you finish your tea party and then we’re going down to give grandpa a good night kiss, alright?” Sam proposed.

“Okay,” the two year old nodded. “I want the pink one!” She requested as the latin man stepped into her mother’s old closet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this family fun!!! Let me know what you think!


	51. Merry Christmas!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas Eve, everyone!! I wish you all have a great day with your family and loved ones.
> 
> This is the last chapter of the year so enjoy 6k of fluff!
> 
> Alisa, this one is for you!

“You ready?” Fallon asked her daughter, glancing at the four year old sitting on top of the grand piano from her seat on the small bench.

As soon as she received a confident nod in response, she couldn’t help but chuckle at the way Olivia slowly moved her feet back and forth while holding tightly onto the shiny piano. Settling her fingers on the white keys in front of her, she gave her daughter one last nod before starting the familiar Christmas song.

**[PLAY SILENT NIGHT]**

[ **https://youtu.be/-iZGh91-v7Y** ](https://youtu.be/-iZGh91-v7Y)

_ “Silent night, holy night,” _ Fallon began. “All is calm, all is bright,” her voice low and muffled as she sang the lyrics.  _ “Round yon Virgin Mother and Child. Holy Infant so tender and mild,” _ she continued.  _ “Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace,” _ she murmured before staring up at Olivia.

_ “Silent night, holy night,” _ Olivia took over, singing in the most tender and purest tone.  _ “Son of God, love’s pure light. Radiant beams from Thy holy face,” _ she sang.  _ “With the dawn of redeeming grace. Jesus Lord, at Thy birth…” _ She spoke softly before turning towards her mother.

_ “Jesus Lord, at Thy birth,” _ Fallon continued slowly, throwing her daughter a proud smile.  _ “Silent night,” _

_ “Silent Night,”  _ she repeated.

_ “Holy Night,”  _ the brunette sang while the four year old played the second voice.  _ “All is calm,” _

_ “All is calm,”  _ Olivia added softly.

_ “All is bright,”  _ Fallon completed.

_ “Round yon Virgin Mother and Child,” _ they both slowly sang together.  _ “Holy Infant so tender and mild,” _ Fallon lowered her tone so Olivia’s voice would prevail.  _ “Sleep in heavenly peace. Sleep in heavenly peace,” _ they glanced at each other as the song approached its end.  _ “Sleep in heavenly peace,” _ the brunette finished as the four year old stared deeply at her mother, watching as her fingers moved gently across the keys of the piano.

“Oh, my, goodness,” Alexis was the first one to speak as soon as the entire living room turned silent, the delicate sound coming from the piano dying down as it was replaced by the soft sobs of the family.

“I’m,” Blake paused, “speechless,”

Turning on her seat, Fallon slid her legs to the side so she was sitting sideways on the piano’s bench. She had been planning that performance with Olivia for months, giving her youngest daughter singing lessons and rehearsing the chosen song at least three times a week, and it felt extremely rewarding to see the look on everyone’s face.

That year, instead of having the famous and traditional Christmas at the Manor, Fallon and Liam had invited everyone to join them at their cabin upstate for the holiday. There had been snow storms throughout the entire month of December and since the kids had been constantly begging for a real white christmas, the couple decided to host Christmas at the cabin, where Charlotte, Olivia and Felix could enjoy the endless amount of snow in their backyard whenever they wanted.

Her mother and father were sitting on the right side of the couch, Alexis leaning against his body as Blake kept one arm on her shoulders to pull her even closer to him. The oldest Carrington’s eyes were wide, his blue orbs flooding with tears and he couldn’t find himself able to take his eyes off his daughter and youngest granddaughter by the extravagant black piano but, for a split second, all he could do was glance at the blonde woman in his arms. 

The woman that, not only had come back to him only a couple of months back,  _ for real this time _ \- as he would say - but had also been the one to give him his only daughter. A daughter that had given him the two most perfect granddaughter’s in the world and had just brought everyone to tears by performing one of the most traditionals and heartwarming Christmas songs with one of them.

“Did you even know about this?” Kirby immediately turned towards Liam. 

While the redhead was sitting on the luxurious Indian carpet with Adam beside her and Felix between her legs, Liam was on the opposite side of the couch from the Carrington couple with Charlotte on his legs and his arms around his daughter’s frame.

“I did,” Liam nodded, trying his best to find the right words to describe the flood of emotions inside his chest. “Although Fallon and Liv would only rehearse when I wasn’t home so,” he told them. “I knew they were going to perform tonight for all of us, but I didn’t know  _ which _ song they were going to sing,” he admitted.

“I guess you also didn’t know you were going to be a puddle afterwards,” Fallon teased him, standing up from the bench before taking Olivia in her arms. “You were amazing, pumpkin,” she offered her daughter a smile, settling her on the right side of her body as she planted a kiss on her rosy cheeks. “Truly amazing, baby girl,”

“You really think so, mama?” The four year old asked, her bright blue eyes staring at Fallon’s matching ones as she caressed her mother’s cheek.

“I’m pretty sure you made everyone in this room cry, Liv,” she chuckled.

“I am  _ not _ okay, that’s for certain,” Alexis shook her head. “Oh my god, why didn’t I record it?” She questioned herself.

“You were enjoying the moment, honey,” Blake replied while running his fingers gently through her waved blonde strands.

“Why didn’t you join them, Charlie?” Adam asked the ten year old.

“I don’t sing,” she quickly responded. “That’s the only gene mom didn’t give me,” she shrugged. “I think she decided to save something inside her belly for her second child,” she added and they all burst out laughing at her comment. “Ollie can do it so perfectly! I would never even dare to mess with that,” she confessed, jumping off her father’s leg so he could stand up.

“Damn, Fallon,” Liam whispered, taking a couple of steps towards his wife and youngest daughter as some of the tears rolled down his cheeks. “I can’t even begin to explain what I’m feeling right now, babe,” he admitted.

“As long as it’s something good,” Fallon teased him, offering him a lovely smile before leaning in to give him a quick peck on the lips.

“Of course it is,” he nodded in between soft sobs. “You were incredible, pumpkin,” he told his daughter. “Beyond great,” he added shortly.

“Thanks, daddy,” Olivia replied, throwing her small arms around her mother’s neck.

“That was indeed very beautiful,” Kirby spoke up. “Fallon playing the piano and Olivia singing? What a marvelous combo,”

“What happened to your piano lessons anyway, Charlie?” Adam asked, turning towards his eldest niece.

“Oh, I gave up on that,” Charlotte responded. “Definitely not for me,” she shrugged.

“You were great, princess,” Fallon commented. “You were just not as interested as Olivia is,”

“Well, we both know I have other qualities so you and Ollie can handle the music in our family,” she mentioned.

“You have a good point,” Adam murmured. “I mean, to be fair, not everyone can start middle school at nine years old because they were simply too smart for fourth grade,” he chuckled.

“Charlie is the math whiz,” Olivia told them. “Mama, I’m hungry,” she whispered, leaning her forehead against Fallon’s face as she played with her mother’s long brown waves.

“Hungry?” Liam and Fallon looked at each other at their youngest’s words, both extremely confused with what they had just heard. “Since when do you get hungry?” He asked.

“It’s a Christmas miracle!” Charlotte exclaimed dramatically.

“I want turkey,” the four year requested, “and ice cream,”

“Oh, maybe not  _ so _ much of a miracle after all,” the young brunette spoke.

“We should make a toast,” Blake proposed as he stood up from the couch, pulling Alexis up with him before placing one arm around her lower back.

“Actually,” Fallon began, glancing at her husband for a moment. “Liam and I have something to tell you all,” she could feel her heart beating at a thousand times per second, nervous about sharing their most recent news with her family.

“Oh god,” Alexis sighed, her eyes widening as she expected the worst.

“Do we even want to know what it is?” Adam asked, pulling the redheaded boy closer to him before the five year old could reach for the champagne flute on the coffee table.

“Last time you two said you had news, you were about to move to France for three months,” Blake reminded them.

“Well, imagine  _ my _ surprise when we got  _ back _ from our summer in France to find out you and Alexis had gotten back together,” Fallon teased him.

“It was only for summer, grandpa! Don’t be so dramatic, it doesn’t suit you,” Charlotte told him. “Who doesn’t want to live in France for an entire summer?” She questioned. “Our house there is pretty cool… you can spend a weekend in Paris, a weekend in the French Riviera, a weekend at Disneyland! That’s pretty much a dream, grandpa! Besides,” she paused. “You visited us all the time,” she rolled her eyes.

“Charlie, we’re closer to Disney World right now than your house in the Provence is from Disneyland Paris,” he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Yeah, well, no one takes me seriously in this house enough to believe that it’s possible to go to Disney World for a weekend, but surprisingly, it makes sense when you’re on a vacation in Europe,” the ten year old shrugged.

“I can reassure you that we’re not moving anywhere this time, dad,” she laughed. “And Charlie,” she turned towards her eldest daughter. “Maybe you can ask Santa for a weekend at Disney World,” she suggested.

“Ever since the almost divorce and our vow renewal last year,” Liam started. “Fallon and I have been thinking of a lot of things… what we need to do to be even better for each other, what kind of thing we need to do in order to give these two the best life they can have,” he explained. 

“But also, what we want for ourselves from now on,” the brunette continued as Liam settled his arm around her lower back. “It’s already been a year and a half since we decided to start fresh, since we decided to have a different kind of marriage and partnership and well,”

“As much as it hurts me to say this, Charlotte is almost a teenager and Olivia is growing up just as fast,” Liam added, only to be interrupted by Alexis’ loud scream of excitement.

“Oh my god!” The blonde gasped. “Are you planning a third child?”

“We’ve actually been planning for a little while,” he murmured, planting a soft kiss on his wife’s forehead before placing his palm on the barely noticeable ten week bump, hidden from everyone by her loose and lightweight red dress.

“You’re pregnant?” Adam asked, almost choking on his champagne at the news. “Again?”

“I am,” Fallon nodded.

“How?” Alexis questioned with a frown. “I mean, I know  _ how _ but…” She paused. “You didn’t say anything at all! Neither of you,” she looked between the couple. “You didn’t say anything about wanting another one, let alone  _ trying _ for another one,”

“Liam looked at me one night and asked me if I had ever thought about possibly having a third child and to be fair, I hadn’t,” she admitted. “Not  _ once _ , but from the moment he brought up that particular subject, I  _ started _ thinking about it,” she explained. “So we started discussing the possibility. Mostly because I’m turning forty in less than a month but also because of the girls and how they would react to a sibling,”

“When did you even decide to give it a go?” Blake asked. “I still don’t understand why you didn’t mention a single thing about it! This is such a big deal!”

“Early this year,” Liam replied. “We didn’t want to get everyone’s hope up in case it didn’t work out,” he told them. 

“We didn’t want to get  _ our _ hopes up in case it didn’t work out,” she corrected him. “And I guess that saying it out loud and bringing more people into it just made it a lot more real,”

real,” she confessed.

“But it worked,” Alexis offered them a smile, letting go of Blake before pulling them both - and Olivia - into a tight hug. “Oh my god, I’m so happy for you! I can’t wait to have another mini Ridley running around the house,” she giggled.

“Congratulations, honey,” Alexis gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek.

“A boy this time would be lovely, by the way,” Blake commented.

“That’s our goal and wish, actually,” Fallon told her father. “Liam really wants a son and during this past year, I grew really fond of the idea of having a baby boy… although, as much as we want a boy this time, we can’t deny that we make beautiful girls, right?” She turned towards her husband.

“We do,” he chuckled, nodding.

“Well, we will all find out after dinner!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“What are you talking about, Charlie?” Kirby asked.

“Mom did a blood test but I’m the only one who knows the results,” she offered her aunt a smile. “I bought a teddy bear when Uncle Sam took me to the mall last week and mom and dad want to find out about it at midnight,”

“Exactly five years ago, Fallon gave me baby shoes on Christmas Eve and told me she was pregnant with Olivia,” Liam said with a bright smile. “And well, ten years ago, we were celebrating our first Christmas as parents, when Charlie was only eleven days old,” he added. “So we thought it would be special to find out the gender of this one tonight,”

“Then we better start heading to the dinner room,” Alexis spoke in excitement.

“I will join you all in a minute,” Kirby replied while standing up from the floor. “I will go upstairs to check on the little one,” she told them, referring to the youngest Carrington, the one year old baby girl that was sound asleep in one of the guest rooms.

* * *

“Where did the idea of another baby even come from, dear?” Alexis took a seat next to her daughter as soon as every other member of the family seemed occupied with something. “I remember asking you about it not that long ago and you were pretty set on two girls only,”

“Liam wanted another one so bad,” Fallon replied. “He had been dropping silly and tiny hints for months when I finally confronted him about it,” she mentioned, taking the crystal flute up to her lips to take a sip of her non-alcoholic champagne.

“I guess he won the argument since I have another grandchild coming this summer,” the blonde chuckled, gently placing her hand on her daughter’s stomach.

“It wasn’t even an argument, to be honest,” she told her mother. “He said he felt like having another one, mostly because he really wanted to try for a little boy but even if the baby turned out to be a girl, he would love it just as much,” she explained. “We started our marriage with Liam hating the idea of having kids and being a father and here we are,” she shrugged. “With a ten year old, a four year old and a baby on the way,”

“I still can’t help but wonder if you’re doing this for him,” Alexis admitted.

“I might have grown and matured over the years but we both know I’m not  _ that _ compassionate and selfless, mom,” Fallon murmured. “I wouldn’t have taken my IUD out if I didn’t want it too,” she informed her. “I  _ know _ that I’m happy with Charlotte and Olivia. That’s not even up for question or discussion… I love them more than anything and those two are pretty much my everything,” she smiled, glancing at her youngest daughter as she ran after Felix.

After dinner, the children had been allowed to choose one present each to open before going to bed. While their family tradition was to open the presents in the morning, after Santa Claus brought everything from the North Pole, even on Christmas Eve, there would be a few presents under their tree. They had no idea what they were and they could choose anyone they wanted, based exclusively on its package and size.

Charlotte had been learning all of the tricks regarding the Christmas Eve’s presents, having come to realize that the biggest packages weren’t always the best ones. That year, out of all the gifts with her name on it, she had chosen the smallest box she could find under the tree.

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” The ten year old had screamed at the top of her lungs when she unwrapped her present and found the most recent version of the AirPods Pro, the most perfect gift to pair with the iPhone she had gotten for her birthday.

Olivia, as always, had gone for the biggest box, finding the Mario Kart Circuit Track she had been asking for months. Felix, however, had chosen the most intriguing package, tearing apart the wrapping paper only two find two pirate swords and pirate hats.

The Mario Kart’s cars were scattered all over the living room’s floor, completely forgotten after Felix challenged his best friend to play with him. Therefore, while everyone enjoyed their dessert peacefully, the two children ran frantically around the room, pretending to be pirates as they swung their swords at each other.

“As long as you’re happy with your decision, Fallon,” Alexis spoke up.

“Olivia, be careful!” Fallon shouted when the four year old jumped off one of the armchairs to get to Felix faster, landing only inches away from the small cars. “I  _ am _ happy, mom,” she turned towards the blonde. “The look on Liam’s face…” She paused. “It was the exact same look I had on my face during the second year of our marriage. I wanted to be a mother more than anything in the world, my mind was settled on that and my  _ body _ was ready for a baby,” she explained. “It hurt me so much knowing that Liam didn’t want the same thing until well, he knocked me up accidentally,” she shrugged. “I didn’t hate the idea of a third child so we started discussing it… how we would handle a third baby, if we were up to doing everything a baby requires us to do… we talked for about six months until I decided that it was something that I wanted too,”

“So you got your IUD removed,” she murmured.

“Yeah, in February,” the brunette nodded. “My doctor said it could take a couple of months for my body to go back to normal, especially at my age, so we agreed we would try for a little more than a year. If I wasn’t pregnant by July next year, we would stop trying and we would go on with our lives as they are,”

“Seems like it didn’t take you guys too long since you’re already ten weeks pregnant,” Alexis laughed lightly.

“Let’s just say we have you and Blake to thank for taking the girls on that trip to Savannah for Halloween,” Fallon chuckled. “Liam found us that party at a nightclub and well, I’m pretty sure you know the rest,”

“Please, tell me my grandchild wasn’t conceived in a nightclub’s bathroom,” her eyes widened.

“No,” she shook her head, laughing at her mother’s words. “As far as I’m concerned, you can’t really get pregnant by doing what we did in that bathroom,” she blushed, thinking back to that night, only two months back, and everything they had done in the tiny stall of the men’s bathroom at that nightclub. 

“Fallon!”

“However… the things we did on the couch back at home… we knew I was ovulating so let’s just say we definitely tried for a baby that night,” Fallon continued, her voice as low as a whisper.

“Too much information, honey,” Alexis laughed.

“What? You’re the one who asked,” she replied.

“It was a simple yes or no question, honey,” she told her. “But I’m happy for you, sweetheart,” she offered her daughter a smile before pulling her in for a hug.

“The factory is closing after this one though,” Fallon informed her. “Whether it’s a boy or a girl, this body isn’t pushing a fourth child out of it, no matter how much he begs,”

“Mommy, can I have more ice cream?” Olivia approached them, walking towards the couch where the two women were chatting before climbing on her mother’s legs. “Being a pirate is exhausting,” she rolled her eyes, sticking her tongue out as she tried to breath from both her nose and mouth.

“You’re supposed to be heading up to bed soon, Liv,” she spoke softly. “You’re not going to sleep well if you eat more ice cream right now, pumpkin,”

“Please,” she begged. “One more scoop, mommy,” she blinked a few times, staring at her mother with her sparkling blue eyes. “I ate all my turkey and mashed potatoes, mommy,”

“Which is why you got the biggest bowl of ice cream for dessert, Liv,” Fallon countered. “With sprinkles, cherries, whipped cream and everything you wanted on top,”

“One more scoop, mommy, just one,” the four year old pouted while snuggling on her mother’s chest. “Please, mommy,” she begged again.

“No more ice cream, pumpkin. It’s almost midnight and I don’t want you to go to bed with your belly full,” she explained while running her hand through her daughter’s golden locks.

“I will ask daddy then,” Olivia groaned, sliding off her mother’s legs.

“He’s going to give you the same answer I did,”

“We will see about that,” she replied.

“I see her Carrington genes are starting to make themselves noticed,” Alexis commented.

“Yeah,” Fallon rolled her eyes. “Somehow, she turned four and they started to show up,” she murmured. “I mean, I love to see that she has more of me than I thought she was but I already have one stubborn and sassy child at home… I wouldn’t mind a soft and calm one,” she shrugged. “She’s my mini Liam, my sweet baby girl, I can’t have her turn out as stubborn as that one,” she gestured towards the ten year old brunette, dancing and jumping around as she listened to her Christmas playlist on her new AirPods.

“Well, that one is you through and through,”

“Exactly,” she nodded. “I need at least one sane child. Even more now that we’re having another one…”

“You already have your tiny version of yourself and the tiny version of Liam,” Alexis commented. “Maybe focus on getting a mix of the two of you, this time?”

“Charlie is turning into a teenager in two years, mom,” Fallon spoke. “I can see myself in her and I know exactly how much trouble she’s going to get in. My hope is that this baby will be its father through and through so I have a peaceful baby when my Charlie needs to be tamed,”

“Daddy!” Olivia screamed, stepping out of the living room in search of her father. “Daddy!”

* * *

“If I could have everyone’s attention,” Charlotte began, climbing on the couch. “It’s time for us to find out whether Ollie and I are having a sister or a brother,” she mentioned while gesturing to the gift box she was carrying against her body.

“I don’t want another one, daddy,” Olivia told her father. “Charlie is enough,”

“Charlie is older than you, pumpkin. Don’t you think it’s going to be fun to have a baby, someone younger than you, to play with you?” Liam questioned.

“No,” she shook her head. “I don’t want one,”

“Olivia… this behavior is not nice,” he informed her. “Why are you acting like this?”

“Because you’re going to spend more time with the baby and I’m going to be all alone,” the four year old told him. “Like Felix every time Cassandra cries… everyone just wants the little baby,”

“That’s not true, pumpkin. No one is going to love you any less because of a new baby,” Liam reassured her, sitting down on the couch so he could look her in the eyes.

“You won’t have time for me,” Olivia muttered on the verge of tears.

“I will  _ always _ have time for you, Olivia,” he promised her. “A baby won’t change a thing,”

“Then don’t have one,” she groaned. “I already have a sister and a best friend, I don’t need a baby to play with,”

“Well, I’m not liking your attitude right now so I guess it’s time for us to head up to bed?” Liam suggested. “It’s way past your bedtime and you’re getting cranky and even a little bit rude. You have absolutely no reason to be this jealous, Liv,”

“Their love for me never changed when they had you, Ollie,” Charlotte spoke up. “You know how they spoil us… well, you see how much they spoil  _ me _ ,” she shrugged. “We’re going to have to share but it’s not that bad,” she explained. “They will still make time for us,”

“I hate this!” Olivia shouted, throwing on the floor the Donkey Kong car she had just picked up. “He’s  _ my _ daddy!  _ Mine! _ I don’t want a stupid baby!”

“Olivia May!” Fallon and Liam exclaimed at the same time, both standing up as they turned towards the four year old girl.

“Up to bed, now,” Liam spoke seriously. “We’re going to have a very important conversation about this sudden change of behavior in the morning but right now, you’re going straight to bed, young lady,” he informed her. “Just remember that Santa only brings presents to good children so you might wake up to no presents at all after this tantrum you just threw,” he explained while reaching for her hand.

* * *

“Everything okay?” Blake asked once Liam finally returned from the girls’ bedroom.

“She promised me she wouldn’t say those things anymore and asked if I could have a word with Santa so she doesn’t lose all of her presents,” Liam told them. “Then she cried herself to sleep, begging for me not to have another baby,”

“Will Santa take Olivia’s presents back to the North Pole, Uncle Liam?” Felix asked with the most devastating look on his face.

“I think so, Felix,” he nodded. “She may have behaved throughout the year but she just screamed at all of us on Christmas Eve… Santa doesn’t like children that behave like that, you know?”

“But she’s so nice, Uncle Liam,” the five year old boy insisted. “Can’t you talk to Santa? No kid should wake up on Christmas morning to an empty tree!” He threw his arms up in the air.

“Felix, if her dad says something, you agree to it,” Adam instructed his son. “He knows what’s best for her and this is how he’s handling the situation. You shouldn’t talk to him like this, okay?”

“I’m sorry, dad,” the redhead quickly apologized. “I’m sorry, Uncle Liam,”

“It’s okay, Felix, it’s okay,” Liam offered the boy a smile. “We will all know Santa’s decision when we wake up tomorrow,” he added, taking a couple of steps across the living room before extending his hand out for his wife. “Now,” he paused. “Do you want to find out what we’re having?”

“Of course,” Fallon nodded while accepting his hand. “Are you really going to hide her presents?” She whispered in his ear after standing up from the couch, balancing herself on her four inch stilettos as she held onto his biceps for support.

“You okay?” He asked, worried.

“Just got a bit dizzy,” she shook her head. “It’s nothing, I’m good,”

“Nausea?”

“No, no nausea,”

“You’re pale, Fal,” Liam commented, intertwining their fingers as he sat down on the couch and pulled her to sit on his lap. “Talk to me,”

“I just got dizzy, that’s all,” Fallon reassured him. “Olivia acting like that kind of stressed me out but I’m fine, I promise,”

“I’m going to hide her presents for a little while,” he whispered. “She needs to see that there are no presents for her under the tree tomorrow morning so she can fully understand the consequences of her behavior,” he explained. “She’s already apologized to me tonight but five minutes later, she was already complaining again,” he shrugged. “Maybe when she sees there’s nothing for her, she will apologize properly and then I will give them to her,”

“Olivia is the sweetest little girl ever, Liam,” she mentioned. “Don’t you think you’re going a little bit too harsh on her?”

“Exactly. I admit I might have expected something like this to come from Charlie, but not Liv,” Liam confessed.

“Charlie’s already been through this, babe,” Fallon replied. “She knows what’s like to have a new baby in the family and she knows she won’t be replaced, just like she told Olivia herself,” she told him. “She may be the stubborn one but she knows what it's like to have a sibling and to share her parents… Olivia has no idea what that means and you two are insanely close, Liam,” she reminded him. “Can you really blame her for being that jealous of you? Remember how Charlie freaked out when she thought I was going to love Olivia more than I loved her?”

“You do have a point,” he nodded. “I told her we would talk in the morning and then I will decide whether Santa is bringing her presents or not,”

“Just keep in mind that she’s four, Liam. Charlie understands everything a lot better now so the idea of a new sibling might not be as hard for her as it is for Liv, but that doesn’t mean Olivia doesn’t have the right to be jealou, you know?”

“I promise I will go easy on her in the morning,” Liam leaned forward to place a kiss on her lips. “Now do you think you can stand up so Charlie can let us know whether this little one is a boy or a girl?” He asked while settling his hand on her stomach.

“Yeah, let’s do it,” Fallon nodded, standing back up. “Charlie, are you ready?” She asked her daughter.

“Of course I am!” The ten year old exclaimed, standing up on the couch. “The question is… are you  _ two _ ready for it?” She added teasingly.

“Why do I have the feeling that all of this excitement means it’s a girl?” The brunette glanced at her husband.

“I already have a sister,” Charlotte commented. “What if I’m this excited because I’m having a brother this time?” She countered, fully aware she was minutes from driving her parents completely crazy with all the secrecy.

“Any chance you can also tell us whether we should expect a Carrington or a Ridley?” Blake asked. “Just, you know… so we have enough time to prepare for another one of you,” he teased his granddaughter.

“I’m one of a kind, grandpa,” she responded, a bright smile forming on her lips as she threw half of her hair behind her shoulder dramatically. “I’m the mini Fallon with a shot of Liam. Carrington genes and DNA with a Ridley heart and some Van Kirk cells, that mixed with my Carrington genes makes me incredibly powerful when it comes to business and money!” She explained. “It’s almost impossible, even for mom and dad, to make another of this brilliant combination,”

“ _ Please _ , have your father’s genes,” Fallon whispered, staring down at her lower body as her hand caressed her belly gently. “That’s all I ask, baby,”

“Don’t forget I’m your favorite,” Charlotte spoke, throwing her mother a wink.

“I don’t have favorites, Charlie,” she rolled her eyes.

“Oh, sorry, I always forget that’s supposed to be our little secret,” she giggled softly.

“What if we have another one like you? Won’t he or she have a shot at replacing you and becoming my favorite?” Fallon provoked her, trying hard to hold the laugh that wanted to escape her when her daughter’s eyes widened in panic, her blue orbs practically jumping out of their sockets in desperation.

“You’ve loved me for ten years already, mom,” the sassy ten year old rolled her eyes,  _ exactly _ like her mother has just done. “Not to mention the time I was in your belly… you’re already too crazy about me to replace me,” she shrugged.

“I’m actually starting to love you less at the moment,” she chuckled.

“It didn’t change with Ollie, it won’t change with Ridley number three,” Charlotte said playfully. “Now, if you two could please come here,” she requested. “Everyone,” she looked between Adam, Kirby, Blake and Alexis before focusing entirely on her parents as they stood in front of her by the couch. “As you all know, mom did a blood test and Uncle Sam and I are the only ones that know the results, but since my beloved Uncle decided that skiing in Switzerland with his man is better than spending Christmas with us, I’m going to reveal my sibling’s gender myself,” she explained.

“Charlie, just do it!” Liam begged, not able to contain his curiosity any longer.

The couple standing face to face, both their hands intertwined with each other as they waited for their eldest daughter to deliver the news.

“Okay, okay,” she nodded. “Here, open it,” she instructed while holding the gift box out for them.

“You ready?” Fallon asked her husband while placing her hands on the lid.

“Yes,” Liam offered her a smile.

Slowly, they lifted the lid together and before the rest of the family could even see what was inside the box, Fallon threw it on the floor and jumped on her husband. Wrapping his arms around his wife’s body, Liam pulled her as close as possible to his chest. As they hugged each other tightly and tears streamed down both of their cheeks, they allowed themselves to get completely lost in each other’s lips even in front of their entire family.

“In case everybody is wondering,” Charlotte spoke up, reaching for the [stuffed animal](https://pin.it/2YUXqpK). “I’m having a brother this summer,” she smiled before showing everyone the light blue teddy bear.

“Oh my god,” it was all Liam managed to speak after they broke the kiss and Fallon couldn’t help but laugh at his current state.

“It’s a boy,” she laughed. “It’s a boy, Liam,” she repeated, as if she needed to keep saying it out loud to actually believe in it.

“We’re having a son, Fal,” he said between sobs. “We’re actually having a son!” He exclaimed, pulling her against him before spinning her as it was almost impossible for him to contain his enthusiasm.

“Liam!” Fallon screamed when he continued to spin her, covering her face and neck with soft kisses. “The dizziness, remember?”

“Oh sorry,” Liam quickly apologized while settling her back on her feet. “I’m just,”

“Over the moon?”

“That’s a way to put it,” he chuckled, the smile on his lips brighter and bigger than ever. “We’re having a baby boy, Fallon! A son!”

“We are, babe, we are,” Fallon nodded, running her hand across her cheeks in an attempt of stopping the tears that wouldn’t stop falling.

“My teddy bear didn’t deserve to be treated like that though,” Charlotte murmured, hugging the stuffed animal against her chest.

“Come here, princess,” Liam let go of his wife and quickly turned towards his daughter, taking her in his arms before looking back at Fallon. “We love your teddy bear,” he spoke, tracing one of the animal’s feet, dragging his thumb carefully over the word BOY written in darker blue letters. “Thank you so much for this, princess,”

“Are you excited, Charlie?” Fallon asked while Liam gave her a kiss on the cheek. “To have a baby brother? I still remember you panicking when you thought Olivia was going to be a boy,”

“I’ve matured since then, mom,” she informed them. “I’m a big girl now!” She exclaimed. “I think I can handle a baby boy this time, but he better be cute,”

“Have you seen your parents, Charlie?” Alexis questioned. “Just look at yourself and at Olivia and you’ll see that it’s pretty impossible for them to make anything but cute babies,” she laughed.

“I guess,” Charlotte shrugged. “I  _ am _ pretty cute,”

“You are,” Liam nodded. “You’re going to be a great big sister to your baby brother, just like you already are to Olivia,”

“I will do my best, dad,” she promised him. “Can I choose his name? I already have a list of ideas!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it! Let me know what you think of it!
> 
> Are you ready for a new Ridley?? Stay tuned because 2021 will bring a new baby to this story! <3


	52. January 17th

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In light of Fallon's birthday, here's something from her favorite girls!
> 
> Disclaimer for this chapter: this happens 4 months before any of olivia's food problems begin.

It was past seven o’clock when Fallon finally reached the front door of the Ridley’s Mansion, exhausted from a twelve hour work day filled with unnecessary meetings and calls from different publishers and companies. 

January wasn’t exactly an easy month, with lots of things to prepare for the new year while still closing every possible matter from the year that had just ended and she knew that. She knew that specific month meant longer days at Fallon Unlimited and even sleepless nights in her private and quiet office at home. However, what she didn’t expect was for a day like to fall on the one day of the month that she wanted to do nothing but spend time with her family.

Fallon was just about to grab the knob when the door was mysteriously pulled open from the inside, revealing the small version of herself. She couldn’t help but laugh, shaking her head slightly to the sides at the thought of her seven year old dressed in a beautiful, dark blue floor length dress, her hair falling down her shoulders in large waves and even a little bit of gloss on her natural pink lips.

“Good evening, Mrs. Ridley,” Charlotte greeted her.

“Good evening, Miss Ridley,” Fallon replied in the same tone her daughter had just used. “Do I want to know what’s happening in this house?” She questioned. “I believe I wasn’t informed about a high-class gala tonight,”

“Don’t you worry about it,” she informed, grabbing at her mother’s hand to pull her towards the grand staircase. “Your dress and shoes are already laid out for you up in your bedroom,” she told her. “Go change and please meet us in the living room as soon as you can!” She added before rushing out of the entrance hall.

As Charlotte heard the familiar sound of her mother’s heels climbing up the stairs towards the second floor of the house, she closed the door that led to the living room before letting out a heavy and relieved sigh.

“Dad, why is it taking you so long?” She complained. “Mom could have seen it!”

“Charlie, need I remind you how much you insisted that we had one balloon for each year?” Liam threw her a puzzling look while attaching another golden balloon to the gas filling machine.

“That’s right! We need 37 balloons so keep working, Mr. Ridley!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Ollie, how are we doing over here?” She asked while approaching her baby sister’s playpen. “No drool, food or any unpleasant surprises on your dress,” she commented while examining every inch of the one and a half year old. “Seems good to me,” she whispered, leaning down to place a kiss on the top of her sister’s head. “Dad, have you changed her diaper?”

“Yeah, about ten minutes ago,” he mentioned. “Why?”

“Just checking,” she admitted. “We wouldn’t want to leave  _ that _ kind of gift for mom on her birthday night,”

“Don’t worry about it, princess,” Liam could only laugh at her comment. “Could you reach for one of those packs, please?” He requested, letting the large balloon fly up to the ceiling before pointing to the pile of balloon packs he had thrown on the coffee table earlier that night.

“How many do we have already?” Charlotte questioned while handing him the plastic package.

“Twenty at the moment, Charlie,” Liam replied. “This would be a lot faster if you helped your dad with these balloons,”

“Mom is going to come down at any minute, dad! Everything has to be perfect by then!” The seven year old spoke, throwing her arms up in the air in exasperation as she headed towards the door that led to the dining room. “I might have bought us five or ten minutes by choosing a pair of heels that would  _ not _ go well with the dress we got her for tonight, but you have to work faster, dad,” she explained. “Carol, how is everything in here?”

“Almost done, my dear,” the cook offered the young girl a smile as she checked the wide dinner table for the tenth time in the past two minutes.

“It’s beautiful, Carol!” Her eyes sparkled in excitement when she looked at all the sushi perfectly and carefully set out on the table. “You’ve outdone yourself tonight, I’m impressed,” she spoke before hugging their personal chef’s legs. “Mom’s going to love it!”

“I’ve got the bottle of champagne you asked for and it’s sitting in the bucket of ice as we speak,” Carol informed her. “Should I bring it here or should I take it to the living room?”

“You can take it to the living room,” Charlotte instructed. “I’m pretty sure dad’s going to make a toast for mom before dinner,”

“Perfect,” she offered the young Ridley a smile. “I’ve prepared two temakis out of everyone’s favorites but if you want more, just let me know,” she explained. “There’s also more fish in the kitchen in case any of you wants more sashimi and that plate right there, little one,” she pointed at the one in a different blue shade. “It’s bluefin,”

“Bluefin?” Her jaw dropped to the floor and her eyes widened at the word, staring between the older woman and the perfectly sliced pieces of the rare tuna fish. “I’ve never had that!”

“Your dad managed to get a small piece at the market since it’s a special day,”

“Oh, I just can't wait to try it!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Thank you for such a beautiful table, Carol,” she spoke softly before returning to the living room.

“I’m almost done, I promise,” it was the first thing Liam said when he noticed her eldest daughter approaching him.

“Can I grab Ollie?” She asked him.

“Tell her to wrap her arms around your neck and only pull her out of the playpen when she does,” he instructed while letting go of another balloon.

“Mom is going to be here soon, Ollie, and we have to wish her the best of birthdays so she can have an amazing year, okay?” Charlotte whispered at her sister before placing her down on the floor. “Let me see,” she mentioned, crouching down in front of her so she could run her hands over the red dress the one year old was wearing. “You look beautiful, Ollie,”

“I’m done!” Liam informed while letting go of the last remaining balloon.

“Now we just wait for mom,” she sighed.

* * *

“Oh. My. God,” Fallon gasped when she walked into the decorated living room, her eyes landing on the dozens of balloons and the huge sign hanging from the ceiling with the words  _ “Happy Birthday, Fallon!” _ written on it. “What’s all this?”

“Happy Birthday, mom!” Charlotte was the first to rush towards the world brunette.

“Happy  _ biday _ , mommy!” Olivia screamed while throwing her arms up in the air.

“Thank you, girls,” she offered them both a smile, crouching down in front of her eldest daughter to wrap her arm around her smaller body and give her a kiss before taking her youngest in her arms. “I love you two so much,”

“Is there room for one more?” Liam asked playfully.

“For my handsome husband? Always,” Fallon replied, opening her arms wide for him as the girls sandwiched her, one on each side of her body as they covered her face with sloppy and wet kisses.

“Happy birthday, babe,” he spoke softly, sitting down on the floor as best as he could in the suit his daughter had chosen for him.

“Thanks, babe,” she murmured against his lips once he closed the distance between them. “May I ask what’s all this that you’ve prepared for me?” She asked them.

“Well, if you think it’s a little over the top, just keep in mind that this was all Charlie’s idea,” Liam chuckled, receiving a long eye roll of disapproval from the seven year old as they stood up.

“It’s beautiful, princess,” Fallon turned towards the younger brunette. “Mommy loves it very much,” she mentioned while running a hand through her daughter’s hair.

“We have sushi too, mom! It’s right in the dining room!”

“Oh, sushi! I see you’ve got one of my favorites for my birthday dinner,” she replied.

“Only the best for you, mom!” Charlotte exclaimed.

“What is this?” Fallon couldn’t help but laugh when she noticed the ice bucket right on the center of the coffee table.

Along with the bottle of Dom Pérignon Brut, there was also a small bottle of San Pellegrino and a bright green sippy cup filled with what she could only guess was apple juice inside the bucket, all buried between the small rocks of ice to keep the liquids at the most perfect temperature.

“Dad, could you please open the champagne?” The seven year old requested while opening the small green bottle.

“Mommy,” Olivia murmured, pulling on her mother’s dark green dress as she stared up at her.

“Is everything okay, baby girl?” Fallon asked, picking her up before settling her on the right side of her body.

“I think she’s hungry,” Charlotte commented while carefully pouring the sparkling water into one of the champagne flutes. “Or just tired,” she added when the one year old let out a loud yawn, resting her head on her mother’s shoulder as she wrapped her tiny arms around her neck.

“Liv is still recovering from the flu, princess, it’s normal for her to be this clingy,” Liam explained. “Here,” he offered his wife a smile while handing her a glass.

“But she’s never clingy to mommy,” she frowned. “When Ollie is clingy, she wraps her arms around your neck like a baby monkey and she never lets go,” she reminded him.

“Well, maybe she chose mommy tonight because it’s her birthday and mommy deserves to feel very loved, right?”

“I guess,” Charlotte shrugged. “Here, Ollie,” she handed her sister the plastic sippy cup.

“Thank you,” Olivia mumbled, immediately taking the cup to her lips.

“Your official birthday party is not until this Saturday but the girls and I wanted to do something special for you tonight,” Liam began while raising his glass. “In spite of how much you love a huge party with hundreds of guests and people giving you attention non stop, we also know how much you love to spend some quality and more intimate time with your family,” he spoke. “Unfortunately, you had to spend almost your entire day at the office but now it’s all about you, babe,” he continued. “We love you very much and we hope this new trip around the sun is filled with happiness, success, fulfillment and lots and lots of love,” he threw her a smirk, waiting for Charlie to climb on the couch so they could click their glasses.

“Happy Birthday!” The seven year old shouted as the crystal flutes came in contact with one another.

“Thank you, guys, I love you all very much,” Fallon smiled, giving each of her daughters a kiss on the forehead before leaning forward to thank her husband with a quick peck on the lips.

“Can we give you your presents now?” Charlotte asked in excitement. “Please!”

“Princess, didn’t we agree to wait until after dinner to give mommy her presents?” Liam questioned.

“Well, yeah, but,” she whispered. “I’m too anxious to wait!”

“It’s okay, babe,” Fallon turned towards him. “I do need to fix Olivia some dinner first but I don’t mind waiting a bit longer to eat,”

“The food is cold anyway,” Charlotte commented. “I asked Carol to cook the salmon for Ollie, I will go get it,” she informed them. “Be right back,”

“I wonder how long it will take for her to crash tonight,” Liam told Fallon. “The girl has been running around this house for hours to make sure everything was perfect by the time you arrived. I’m surprised she hasn’t passed out yet,” he chuckled. “She said she even chose wrong shoes for you just to buy us time,”

“She also  _ hid _ the heels she knew would be my first choice with this dress,” she told him. “Took me about ten minutes to find them behind all of your suits,”

“The things she does for you…” He murmured. “I don’t think I will ever understand,”

“We both know Charlie and I share a special bond, it’s been that way ever since she was born, but need I remind you that she’s growing up around you?” Fallon began. “She’s growing up watching you do all of these wonderful things for me, babe. Maybe it’s because of our bond but give yourself some credit… maybe she’s just copying exactly what you do because of how sweet and perfect you are,”

“Well, when you put it that way,” Liam shrugged, a shy smile appearing on the corner of his lips as she rolled her eyes at him.

“I’m back!” Charlotte announced.

“Do you want to help her?” Fallon suggested as her daughter approached them with a small plastic plate and a silicone bib in hand. “So I can open my presents?”

“Of course,”

“I will get her high chair so she doesn’t make a mess in here,” Liam spoke while standing up. “Charlie, can you get the presents?”

“Mom, which present would you like first?” The seven year old asked, leaning behind one of the couches to get the shopping bag they had hidden there. “This year, we  _ each _ got you a present so you have three to choose from,”

“Oh, does that mean Olivia got me a gift this year too?” She giggled, bouncing the baby girl on her legs as she tickled her sides.

“I did, mommy,” Olivia nodded with a smile.

“Then let’s start with that one,” Fallon proposed.

“ _ Chalie _ help, mommy,” the one year old told her mother.

“She did? Well, you have an amazing big sister, Liv,” she replied, planting a kiss on the top of her youngest daughter’s head before accepting the envelope Charlotte was offering her.

“I wonder what this is,”

“Fal, let me take her,” Liam requested while extending his arms towards his wife. “Are you hungry, pumpkin?” He asked, sitting her down in her high chair before buckling the small belt around her body.

“Salmon!” Olivia exclaimed.

Setting the plate down in front of her sister, Charlotte handed her the baby spoon then climbed on the couch so she could meet Olivia’s height. As Liam took a seat next to Fallon, placing a hand on her knee, the seven year old turned towards her parents and couldn’t help but bounce in anticipation, wondering what her mother’s reaction would be, as she opened the large envelope.

“Aww, I love this!” Fallon looked between all of them as she stared at the colorful feet painting. “Oh, there’s another one,” she commented when she realized there was something heavy inside the envelope. “This is so sweet, guys,” she smiled as soon as she retrieved the framed clay with Olivia’s small hand imprinted on it. “I know she didn’t do this herself so thank you, to both of you,” she told her husband and eldest daughter.

“You can keep them in your office, mom,” Charlotte suggested.

“I definitely will, princess,” she mentioned. “Thank you, pumpkin,” she added, tickling her daughter’s legs while she pushed a spoonful of rice inside her mouth.

“Can you open mine now, mom?” She requested.

“Of course, Charlie,” Fallon nodded. “I assume it’s this one?” She asked, pointing to the dark blue velvet box that was currently sitting on the coffee table with a birthday card on top of it.

“That’s correct!”

“Okay, let’s see what you got your mother this year,” she teased while reaching for the box.

“I hope you like it,” she murmured, clearly anxious as she waited for her mother to read the card.

“I love you to the moon and back too, princess,” Fallon threw her a wink before proceeding to open the box, gasping when laid her eyes on the shiny diamond bracelet. “Let me guess… you and dad got this made out of our family’s secret diamond collection?”

“We did, yeah,” Charlotte chuckled softly. “We actually had  _ two _ made,” she raised her left arm so she could show her mother the matching bracelet around her wrist.

“I love it, Charlotte. I love it so much,” she spoke, pushing herself off the couch so she could pull her daughter into a tight hug. “Thank you, princess,”

“You’re welcome, mom,” she replied before giving her mother a loud smack on her cheek. “I’m glad you like it,”

“Can you help me put it on?”

“Of course,” the seven year old nodded, reaching for the delicate piece of jewelry before quickly closing it around her mother’s left wrist. “Beautiful!”

“Thanks, baby,”

Grabbing the shopping bag on her way back to her seat next to her husband, Fallon couldn’t help but frown when she realized the bag was already empty, with no sign of a third present whatsoever.

“Mine isn’t in there,” Liam commented, laughing at the puzzled look currently displayed on her face. “I didn’t exactly wrap it,” he confessed.

“You didn’t wrap it?!” Charlotte’s eyes widened. “Dad!”

“It’s okay, princess,” Fallon reassured her.

“There  _ may _ be one wrapped gift up in our bedroom but you’re not opening that one until the girls go to bed,” he whispered in her ear when Charlotte got distracted with Olivia.

“What are you up to, Mr. Ridley?” She murmured, staring into her eyes as he smirked teasingly at her.

“You will find out in a couple of hours, I promise,” Liam threw her a wink, leaning in for a quick kiss before slipping his hand inside his jacket. “For now… this is your birthday present,” he mentioned while pulling a car key out of his pocket.

“Oh my god!” Her eyes widened and her hand flew to her mouth as her jaw dropped to the floor in total shock. “You got me a car?” She asked, shaking at the sight of the familiar Porsche logo on the small object.

“You have no idea how hard it is to hide a car,” Charlotte mumbled while handing Olivia her sippy cup.

“Where did you even hide it?” Fallon questioned, certainly impressed with her husband’s gift. “It’s obviously not in the garage or I would have seen it,”

“Your brand new Cayenne Turbo Coupé is waiting for you at the manor, mom,” the seven year old told her. “Dad got you the best one available, obviously,” she rolled her eyes. “It’s E-Hybrid and it has a sports package of sorts that makes the car go  _ really _ fast in only a couple of seconds!”

“Well, we can all go for a ride tomorrow morning, right?” She suggested.

“Absolutely!” Charlotte and Liam spoke at the same time.

“Thank you, babe,”

Wrapping her arms around Liam’s neck, Fallon pulled him into one passionate kiss, allowing her lips to move against his as he settled his hands on her waist to pull her closer to him. For a couple of minutes, they were completely oblivious to anything happening in their surroundings, especially their eldest daughter’s complaint about how gross their kisses were, but none of them could care less, choosing to get lost in each other for a moment.

“Guess we should just wait until they’re done exchanging saliva to go eat,” Charlotte told her sister. “They better not take long because I’m starving!” She complained, stealing a small piece of salmon from Olivia’s plate.

“Mommy and daddy  _ gwoss _ ,” Olivia commented when Liam started lying Fallon down on the couch, his hands roaming up and down her sides as they deepened the kiss.

“Oh god,” the seven year old sighed, jumping off the couch before rushing towards them. “Hello!” She raised her voice while knocking on the back of her father’s head. “Is someone there?” She continued. “You do realize we’re still in the room, right?” She asked when they finally broke the kiss.

“I’m sorry,” it was all Liam could say while Fallon blushed, her cheeks turning red in embarrassment as she realized the position they had ended up in.

“Can we please eat now?” Charlotte requested. “I’m sure you two can continue that in your bedroom later,”

“Yeah, yeah,” he replied, still breathless from the kiss as he sat back up. “Let’s go eat,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all liked it! Let me know what you think!!


	53. Valentine’s Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, I suck. It’s been almost a month since my last update but both work and life have been crazy at the moment!
> 
> This chapter is small since I didn’t exactly have a lot of time to write it but I hope you like it!

“Good afternoon, I’m here for Charlotte,” Liam informed the young woman after walking up the stairs at the entrance of his daughter’s private school.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Ridley,” Meghan greeted him with a smile. “I’m afraid Charlotte hasn’t come down from her Math class yet,” she mentioned while checking the names of all the children that were already in the playroom, enjoying all kinds of toys and entertainment as they waited for their parents, family or any person responsible for them to pick them up.

“I believe I’m right on time, Meghan,” he spoke, glancing at the Rolex on his wrist as he started feeling quite unease regarding his daughter’s whereabouts. “Can you check with her teacher, please?”

“Right now,” she replied, reaching for the phone to her right to call the six year old’s teacher.

“Bye Meghan!” Two twin girls waved the young woman goodbye as they followed their mother out of school. “See you tomorrow!”

“Bye, girls!” Meghan waved back. “Hi Pietro, I would like to know if Charlotte Ridley is still there, please?” She requested as soon as the familiar voice of the first grade’s assistant appeared on the other end of the line. “Her dad has arrived to pick her up but she hasn’t come down yet,”

“Oh, yeah, Miss Ridley is right here,” he told her. “We asked her to stay a bit after class but it’s all good. I will ask her to go down right away,”

“Thank you,” she said before ending the call. “They wanted to have a word with her after class, Mr. Ridley, but she should be coming down at any minute now,”

“Anything I should be concerned about?” Liam couldn’t help but frown.

“Pietro didn’t say anything about talking to you as well so I’m sure it’s nothing you should worry about,”

“Hi daddy!” Charlotte shouted a couple of minutes later. “Can you help me?” She asked, her entire body practically disappearing behind the huge bouquet of red roses she was carrying.

“Oh my God, princess!” He exclaimed as he rushed towards her.

While walking, Charlotte was watching her steps carefully so she wouldn’t fall and embarrass herself in the middle of school and in front of all her friends, but the fifty rose bouquet was certainly making things a lot harder for her. Her backpack was on her back, hanging properly from both of her shoulders as she hugged the flowers tightly against her chest, her arms wrapped around it as she held a large, red, heart-shaped chocolate box in one hand.

“This was so heavy,” she sighed, finally allowing her arms to fall down and rest once her father grabbed the roses from her. “Thanks for the help, daddy,”

“Who gave you this, Charlie?” Liam asked, taking her free hand in his so they could walk back to the car.

“James Campbell,” Charlotte responded. “He has a crush on me,” she chuckled.

“I see,” he mumbled, clearly not happy with the situation. “I don’t think I’ve ever even met this James Campbell boy. Why does he think it’s okay to give  _ my _ girl a bouquet of roses this big?” He questioned.

“It’s Valentine’s Day, daddy,” she reminded him. 

Liam knew it was Valentine’s Day. He had a surprise planned for his wife that night, an amazing one, as a matter of fact. However, what he didn’t expect was for his daughter, his  _ six year old _ , to have a valentine of her own on that day.

“I don’t care what day it is, Charlotte,” he spoke, a bit harsher than he first intended to. “You’re  _ six _ ,”

“James is new here, dad,” Charlotte began. “His dad got a new job in Atlanta and his entire family moved down from North Carolina over the holidays,” she explained. “He didn’t know anyone so he joined me and Molly for lunch one day and now he just hangs around,” she shrugged. “He pushes me and Molly on the swings and last week he even caught me when my hand slipped off the monkey bars,”

“Why am I only hearing about that now?”

“About what?”

“That monkey bar incident,” he replied.

“I think mom picked me up that day,” the six year old told him. “But he didn’t exactly catch me, to be fair. He tried but I ended up just falling on top of him,” she explained. “Which, as it turns out, wasn't exactly that bad because his body prevented me from scratching my knees and tearing my uniform so I believe he was quite useful,”

“Please, when you get to class tomorrow, inform this James boy that I would like to have a word with him when I come pick you up,” Liam demanded in a serious tone, pulling the backseat door open for her so she could climb inside the car.

“I’m not looking for anything serious at the moment, daddy,” Charlotte reassured him. “Or anything casual, if you want to know,” she added shortly, only to receive a glare from her father before he closed the door. “Boys are too stressful and I have a lot of better things to do with my precious time,”

“I’m still not amused,” he confessed while taking his seat behind the steering wheel.

“He was really sweet, dad. He said he likes me and that he wants to spend as much time as he can with me,” she told him. “It felt a bit clingy to me, if we’re being honest here, but it was really sweet. I’m the only girl in class that got a Valentine’s Day gift, can you believe that?” She exclaimed. “He also said he’s never seen anyone with such beautiful eyes, because the blue reminds him of the beach and the ocean… but that’s probably because he has brown eyes,”

“Oh yeah, I’m definitely having a word with this boy,” Liam groaned to himself. “What else did he say?” He asked, nodding to the security guard as he drove through the private school’s gate.

“Well, he asked if I wanted to be his valentine for the day and that he would treat me like a real princess,” Charlotte continued. “It’s not like I had anything else to do so I said yes and it was kind of fun. We held hands during break and he even bought me ice cream! Just like you and mom do!”

“Charlotte Grace, what else did you two do that mom and I do?” His eyes widened in total shock and he almost hit the break when he noticed her giggling through the rearview mirror.

“Don’t worry, daddy, we didn’t kiss,” she informed him right away. “Ew, no! Gross, gross, gross!” She shook her head from one side to the other. “What do you have planned for you and mommy, by the way?”

“Do not try to change the subject here, young lady,”

“I’m just asking,” Charlotte shrugged.

“Why did you stay after class today, Miss Ridley? That assistant, Pietro, said your teacher wanted to have a word with you once all the other students left?” Liam inquired.

“Oh yeah, Miss Daniels has been giving me a different kind of math homework for the past couple of weeks, but she doesn’t want the other kids ro know about it,” she explained.

“And why is that, Charlotte?” He asked, certainly intrigued.

“Because the normal homework is too easy for me so she gives me math exercises that will actually challenge me,” Charlotte mentioned. “Mom approved of this idea,”

“Well, she didn’t tell me anything about it,” Liam commented.

“It probably just slipped her mind, daddy. Mom has been working nonstop ever since she went back to work after maternity leave,”

“Yeah, well, I suppose I’m going to have to add that to my list of everything mom and I need to discuss about you, Miss Ridley,” he told his daughter.

“None of that is important tonight, daddy,” Charlotte reminded him. “Tonight… all you need to do is buy her roses, chocolate and some very expensive jewelry,” she threw him a wink through the rearview mirror.

“When did you become such an expert on Valentine’s Day, Charlie?” Liam couldn’t help but ask.

“When you grow up watching your dad cover the entire house with rose petals every single Valentine’s Day, you start understanding how real boys treat their girls on this day,” she explained with a smile. “And just so you know, mom is expecting you to blow her mind tonight so you better make sure your plans are good and solid. Why don’t you let me in on them so I can give you my seal of approval?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this tiny piece of daddy and daughter!! Let me know what you think!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [do you believe in magic?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23399806) by [bookishgypsy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookishgypsy/pseuds/bookishgypsy)
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